


Puzzle

by Wanderingurl



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: BAMF! Stiles, Derek's POV, F/M, Implied Lydia/Stiles, M/M, Memory Alteration, Sheriff Stilinski's Name is Noah, Slow Build Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Stiles' POV, Warlocks, Werecoyotes, Werewolves, Witches, alternate POV, banshee - Freeform, based on Teen Wolf this is how I imagine what happens after season 6, but not too much I don't want to spoil, chimera, emissary stiles, more tags will come with the new chapters, the chapters aren't written in a chronological order, werejaguar
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2019-10-21 07:31:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 48,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17638466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wanderingurl/pseuds/Wanderingurl
Summary: Stiles has come back from his internship and wasn't expecting to run into Derek and Alec so soon. (first chapter)To understand what happened between chapter 1 and chapter 2, you will have to fit the pieces (chapters) together.Your mission, if you accept it, is to solve the puzzle to understand why suddenly in the 2nd chapter Stiles is no more just a human and why Derek doesn't remember him.





	1. Surprise !

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing a fanfiction and I'm quite nervous !
> 
> PS: I'm french and this is unbetaed so if there are any mistakes please tell me ! ;)

_I have to break up with Lydia. We've just kissed a few times since we started to go out a few months ago. I've been to my trainship with the FBI, I've saved Derek's ass (one more time). Lost a toe in the battle. I've come back to Beacon Hills to fight the Anukite. Then I had to go back to Virginia and finish the internship..._

_We haven't even seen each other that much yet and still, I have to break up with her. Even though I had been pining for YEARS !!!_

_What is wrong with me ? I thought that it was because I'm considering Lydia like a sister now. That my feelings had changed without me realising but... maybe I'm just programmed to love unreachable people, and once they are no longer... I get a change of heart._

_I don't know. I'm so lost. Is it something else to add to my weirdness ? ADHD, former possessed by an evil spirit, mommy issues, unreliable feelings or something...._

_But the real question is what everyone will think about all this. Scott had had enough of me talking about the redhead, I was so infatuated that everybody knew how I was obsessing over the famous Lydia Martin. The goddess Lydia Martin who reciprocated my feelings at some point god knows how ! I haven't even seen (or heard from) her enough lately to know how she will react._

_Me, Stiles, I am going to break up with the amasing Lydia Martin._

_Well, as soon as I see her._

 

Stiles had begun to write a journal after the incident with the Nogitsune. Every day he had written a few lines just in case that after a crazy supernatural... something, he would have lost memories or an other shit like that. Of course when he had been taken by the Wild Hunt this journal had been of no use since it had been erased just like him... but this notebook remained a tangible thing to rely on if anything were to happen to him.

Being completely forgotten by everyone had been really terrifying, one more traumative event to add to many others that would keep him awake at night. The spastic kid was no longer so much spastic over the years, no longer a kid either. The supernatural world had exhausted even someone like him and had made him mature faster than he would let it show.

No one would notice how much he had been affected because he wasn't the kind to ask for help or make people see that he needed some. Only the panic attacks would betray his anxiety, and then it was too late to think about the source of his troubles. Anxiety was a part of him. His scent. No wonder why his supernatural friends had become accustomed to it and didn't bother anymore to know the reasons. Stiles had been caracterized as anxious since his best friend Scott had been turned into a werewolf years ago. They had gone through dangerous situations, confronted stronger ennemies, sacrifices and death. Stiles was human, it was even surprising that he was still alive and standing !

That horrible scent was his second skin, it was Stiles wherever and whenever.

 

So when Stiles came back to Beacon Hills, he knew that his stress wouldn't be a problem to the heightened senses of the remaining members of the pack he would come accross later on. Scott was at UCLA, Malia had followed him and got a job, Lydia was at the MIT, Derek was... he was somewhere... probably safe right? Alec was with him, the sourwolf had apparently become his mentor and he wasn't ready to finish high school and act like a normal student. Who could have blame him ? The kid had lost everything... just like Derek. They were bound to become besties.

At his dad's house Stiles only had two options. Either stay at home or try to go see his dad at the police station hoping the man would not be on patrol. And the human could not bear to just stay still in an empty house... he needed to see someone. Talk to someone. Even if the people he really had something to say to weren't in the same town or state or country maybe. He would have to wait for the holidays, a pack meeting or even the next supernatural crisis. He hadn't seen his friends and his dad for about three months, it was probably something you could call "good" since it meant that it had been calm during that time but... Stiles hadn't made any friends in Virginia. Since day one he had been pegged as the gay guy who had gotten excited by a video of a mass murderer running half naked in the woods. And then he had made his way into the operation and even though no one could say what had happened during the raid, Stiles had been looked at with suspicion even after he had prooved Derek's innocence. Well, doing that last part had made it clear that he was on Hale's side and maybe even knew the guy since they were both from the same town...

Well, he hoped that nothing had gone wrong during his absence, the last time no one had told him anything about the Anukite and Monroe until he had rescued Derek and the man had been the one to brief him even though he didn't even know himself the details. Stiles wasn't angry about this, but he felt sour every time he would think about his pack struggling against almost everyone to stay alive while he was just by himself in Quantico enjoying his internship and manipulating his superiors in order to sabotage their mission. At least, he had helped the werewolf by distracting everyone with his screams of pain. No one had felt eager to help the man who was carrying the injured flailing intern who wasn't even supposed to be there in the first place.

Yes, he had been of some help, somehow, to Derek... even if they had ended up at the hospital and lost a few hours. And to the pack even if they didn't get to them in time to save Deucalion, Brett or Lory.... but at that time Stiles didn't know a fucking thing about their troubles !

He wasn't angry, just a little bit... bitter.

 

When Stiles arrived at the station, hoping to surprise his old man, the sheriff was talking in his office to... Alec. So, without even thinking twice or even look for the sourwolf who might have probably been in there too, the young Stilinski took off before anyone at the station could notice him. However, he was now stuck in his Jeep trying to figure out the next thing to do. He didn't want to go back to his empty house and neither risk to run into Derek. Maybe he already had been heard by the werewolf anyway and even if it wasn't the case, putting into gear his car would definitely betray him. He sighed, deeply. He had nowhere to go. So he tried to call Lydia. He should have taken a quick detour to see her because now she was across the country and unreachable.

"Hey Lyds... um, we should talk... I mean, we always talk obviously... but... face to face. Maybe you already know what I want to talk about bu- shit !" Stiles interrupted himself dropping his phone in his process of hiding behind the steering wheel and closing his eyes right after knowing how pointless that was. Even if Derek hadn't heard him, smell him or even been a werewolf, Stiles' Jeep wasn't a car you could miss.

"Stiles." Derek said walking toward the car, Alec following close behind him without saying a word and just looking at his feet.

Stiles straightened himself before bending over the passenger's seat next to him to catch his phone and hang up not without saying a quick "Call me !"

"Your dad just told me that you were coming at the end of the week, he was really surprised when we told him that we could hear your voice coming from the parking lot."

"Thanks ! It was a surprise. Glad to hear you revealed it instead of me." as soon as Stiles had said those words he knew the werewolf was sorry just by looking at his... poker face. How ? He didn't know, maybe a quick flinch in his eyebrows, his eyes or even his mouth. Maybe a little tension in his whole body. Really, the guy wasn't expressive at all but Stiles knew that Derek Hale wasn't proud of himself at the moment. He sighed "At least give me a sample."

"What ?" the sourwolf said all confused. "You know, every time you ask me that, I don't understand what you're saying."

"He was confused, at first, but quickly he cursed, and then he was happy and excited." Alec said finally leaving his mentor's shadow with a little gesture of the hand to make a shy hello. "He said "Fuck" by the way."

"Okay, but if he's excited and happy... then why isn't he here with you guys ?"

"He got a call." Alec answered. Now that his tongue had started to work maybe the older wolf would no longer participate in the conversation.

"Okay... then why is he walking like that ?" Stiles' attention had been caught by movements coming from the entrance of the precinct. Looking now beyond the werewolves at Noah who was coming toward them very slowly, a little bend over the ground, every step looking more painful than the previous one. "He looks like an old man."

"He is old." Derek whispered trying to refrain a smile. Failing.

"A very old man then. A zombie even !" Stiles exclaimed finally coming out of his car.

"Why is he walking like that ?" the younger wolf repeated. "You took his pain just a few minutes ago."

"It doesn't mean that he's healed." both Derek and Stiles remarked at the same time. But Stiles added "What happened anyway ?"

"He fell in the stairs of a building while running after a suspect." the puppy answered still looking in the sheriff's direction.

"That is both detailed and vague... I'm impressed !" Stiles said, passing in front of Derek to pat the younger one on the head, ruffling through his hair which were shorter than the last time he had seen him. The boy tried to push away his hand but the human dodged his attempt and came after him even more forcefully. Knowing his dad was injured now, he needed to get his hug from someone else and was too much of a scaredy cat to try with Derek. But he ended up, instead of hugging the kid, strangling him with a choke hold.

"How did you end up loosing against Stiles after all our training ?" Derek interrogated with his own arms crossed against his chest, not caring at all about saving his protégé.

"I'm not... using... werewolf strength !" Alec retorted, huffing a little through his attempts to free himself.

"You just need to be quicker." Stiles snickered while smiling at his dad who was definitely slower than a blind old lady without a cane.

"I was quick... you just have... crazy reflexes !"

"You're the one who is supposed to have the supernatural abilities !"

"Did they train you at the FBI ?" Derek asked with his eyebrows furrowed like he was desapproving it, but Stiles thought that maybe the man was just worried.

"Just some self-defense tricks... it wasn't a real class, just one afternoon but... I'm a quick learner." he answered with a wink, still holding the pup.

The human wasn't really lying, but he hadn't mentionned the lessons he had taken during his stay in an other institution either. He didn't know how to fight like the ennemies they had encountered before, he wouldn't be able to compete yet against a trained hunter for example. Thinking about it, in that way, he didn't felt guilty about the omission.

"Definitely. Now can you let me go ?"

"Don't be so grumpy or I'm gonna have to give you a nickname and make sure you hate it ! Tell him, Sourwolf !"

Derek sighed, dropped his arms and walked away to get to the sheriff, who was still a few meters away from them, and take his pain once again. Then he helped him walk faster by giving him a little push on his back and steadying him with his other hand wrapped around his forearm. Witnessing such a scene made Stiles let go of Alec, his mouth agape, his brain just blowned and the next thing he said was true but its only purpose was to hide how much he wanted to hug both of them, and kiss very violently one of them. "Now you really look like an old grandpa. Should I get you to a nursing home ?"

Noah was probably already regretting making all the way to see his boy, judging on his exasperated glare, but Stiles let it slip and smiled before kissing him with a loud "mwah" pressing his palms against each side of his father's face. "Did you catch the bad guy ?"

"Parrish did."

"Did you go to the hospital ? Something's broken ? What is the diagnosis ?"

"Coccydynia."

Stiles almost bursted into laughter but then he just couldn't think that was all. "And... and what else ? This can't be the only reason you're moving like that !"

"I also hit my back really hard."

"When was it ?"

"Yesterday." his father was getting more and more fed up with the questioning but he knew Stiles wouldn't give up.

"And... is your coccyx broken, bruised or dislocated ?"

"Bruised."

"Did you get a coccygeal cushion ?"

"Stiles... I'm not a child, I can take care of myself."

The son was about to insist on getting his answer but got interrupted by an Alec confused about Stiles' knowledge. "Did it happened to you too ?"

Derek and Noah sighed, already knowing the kind of answer he was about to give, Stiles patted the kid on the head again, smiling at him like he was just too cute to be true. "No, I've just lost myself in the internet space."

"But... you didn't know about the accident just a minute ago..."

"And yet I found these informations years ago when I was looking for something else."

There was a little pause, Alec was frowning and hadn't even try to remove the human's hand on his head, he had learned that it was a lost cause. Noah was about to try to talk about something else, maybe about his kid's unexpected arrival, however the young werewolf wasn't done. "What were you looking for ?"

"Alec." growled Derek in a whisper who maybe already knew where this conversation was leading to, but Stiles answered at the same time, letting his hand fall again against his own body. "Anal sex."

The silence fell again on the four men and for at least three seconds the young Stilinski thought he could just leave his joke like that, Alec's face was hilarious his eyes had gone really wide and he had hold his breath for a second, Derek had completely closed off, his eyes shut, his arms crossed, his lips tight, maybe he was trying to not smile like the Sheriff who had already given in, but... "I don't know what I was searching for, Alec. It's just how my brain works, sometimes I just get an idea, which leads to another idea, which leads to another idea, which leads to-"

"Stiles !" the older wolf and human yelled in one voice, so he had to cut himself and come faster to his conclusion. "Which often leads to a question."

It was clear that the younger one was still eager to ask a lot himself, he didn't really know the guy in front of him. But, it would have triggered Stiles' blabbering and to the other two men the urge to maim themselves, so he decided to shut up and let Derek say their goodbyes and leave the father and son celebrate their reunion.

 

_I saw Derek and Alec today. I'd thought I would have lost my chill but then I've just focused my attention on Alec and my dad and it went pretty great. I don't think my behaviour was weird, well... not weird enough for them to notice anything._

_But it was still unexpected. Derek's presence is always unpredictable and even though at some point in the beginning of our ~~frien~~ relationship I had complained about the guy being everywhere, now I'm surprised when he's here. _

_I hadn't seen him since my last stay in Beacon Hills and Scott had presented Alec to us._

_I don't know where I'm going with this topic, and I don't want to ramble again about his eyes, his mouth or anything so... let's change it._

_My dad hurt his back just a day before my surprising arrival. He bruised his coccyx while running after a suspected thief. His purchase had led him to a building with weak stairs and he fell coming down from one of those. Parrish was with him, so the deputy had to go after the suspect alone then, but hey ! Guess what ? He's a hellhound ! So I don't understand why was my old man chasing himself the guy when he had a freaking supernatural, practically immortal, being right next to him !_

_But who am I kidding ? Us Stilinskis are stubborn humans who can't just stay still when a bad guy is around._

_I'm glad I came back. At least I will be able to watch over him. I had decided to take a break from the studies and get a job anyway. For now I will just help at the station. At least, most of the people already know me there, they won't freak out._

_Oh and I tried to call Lydia, I think the last time I actually talked to her (over the phone obviously), was two weeks ago, when she couldn't get Skype to work and had given up after an hour and called me instead. But we were both tired and our conversation had lasted less than 30 minutes. And I had basically vomited a whole speech about how we were so dependent on the technology now that the world might and should just end when we would no longer need an actual human to interact with in our everyday lives._

_And I don't even know if she was listening !_

 


	2. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek meets a new mysterious guy.

Derek had learned through the years to never trust people even those who looked all innocent. At almost 26 years old, the only persons he would trust with his life were very few. First, it hadn't been easy in the beginning (and even years later) but he trusted Scott. At least, being a true alpha meant he was a good person. Second, it must have been Melissa who reminded him of his own mother sometimes. Third, came the sheriff, he didn't really remembered how the man had become a member of their pack, if he really remembered anything at all about that, but the man was brave and righteous, and even though the man carried a gun the werewolf knew he would never hurt him. And the last one was Chris Argent and that one was really an unexpected one for obvious reasons.

Of course there was still his cousin Malia but she was, not so long ago, a complete stranger to him, she was a coyote, she was a little savage, she was the daughter of serial killers (and lets not talk about Peter). She needed more guidance than she could give support. Concerning Lydia, Derek and her weren't close at all, they never talked, there was something about her, he didn't know what, that would make him want to walk away. And that wasn't even related to the fact that she was a powerful messenger of death, she wasn't scary at all.

When it came to Alec, who was always with him, Derek had taken him under his wing, and the young man had practically became his own beta, but the kid would more likely need help than be the help. He wasn't incompetent, however becoming a werewolf had made him go through a lot and he was still sensitive when it comes to life or death situations.

And the rest of the pack that consisted in Liam, Mason, Corey and Theo, the older wolf didn't really interacted with them. It felt like they were becoming their own pack actually and it wasn't like theirs was really organised with everyone being away.

Derek liked the idea of a pack, and enjoyed it when they would referred themselves as one, but he knew deep down that they had no real hierarchy, that he couldn't feel himself as Scott's beta, and that unity weren't their fort. They kind of had Deaton as an emissary, but the guy was always really mysterious and would often ask other emissaries, witches or whoever he knew and didn't want to talk about, for help whenever he didn't know the solution to their troubles.

Actually those occurrences had become quite common over the last few months. And Derek had been curious enough to try to find out who were the unknown people Alan would trust their lives with. He had at least found out that there was almost always the same voice of a man who seemed too young to know better than Alan. He knew the way the man talked was fast, loud and sometimes filled with food. And the guy would apparently always have answers or even take care of the problem himself without them even being informed beforehand nor noticing his presence.

Talking about trust, maybe the guy was worthy of it, but who could really know about that ? Only Deaton knew him and the veterinarian was too secretive to be a guarantor.

Derek was thinking about the credit he could give to the people around him because it was his reflex when faced to dangerous situations and needed guidance and advices. There was an alpha with his pack who was trying to take their territory and they didn't know what to do. It hadn't already been resolved in a battle, Scott didn't want to and preferred  to try a political approach. But the other wolves against them were more of the traditional type. The other pack was all about dynamics, hierarchy, protocole and rules. They were actually in their rights to claim the land and they had even dare to say aloud that the McCall pack was a joke with its zero organisation. And when Alan had tried to step in and calm Scott and the other alpha on their first meeting, the foreign alpha had even declared that the veterinarian wasn't even a real emissary.

They had stopped their session before someone could get their fangs and claws out, but after a few days Derek was still worried. Deaton had affirmed that he would come to them with a solution and hadn't given any news since then. The intruders were still waiting at the limits of the claimed territory, they had been reasonnable enough to not just attack them, but they also had seemed too confident to even doubt the outcome of their journey. They knew that Scott and "his friends" had no rights to own a territory that had always been protected by powerful and fonctionnable packs.

Derek wanted to talk to someone who wasn't entirely concerned about pack's dynamics but still by who was going to live in and protect Beacon Hills no matter what. Yet, when he arrived at the sheriff's house late at night on a thursday, the lights were on, Noah's car was nowhere to be seen and someone who wasn't him was in there. The werewolf could even hear the person inside looking for something, going through the furniture quickly and loudly. It took no time for him to pass the threshold, the hallway and burst into the kitchen where the sounds had led him to see the back of a man who was facing the fridge and drinking milk right from the bottle. Just as Derek had guessed it wasn't the sheriff, the guy had dark brown and curly hair and wore baggy dark clothes which seemed way too warm for the season. When the young man started to turn around with the bottle still on his lips and his eyes half-closed, he had a messy beard, dishevelled hair and dark rings under his eyes and Derek thought he was a homeless guy who had broken into the house to get food and maybe cash or valuable stuffs. The hobo finally saw him and spilled milk everywhere and cursed immediately.

"Fuck ! What are you doing here ?" he yelled surprised but not afraid.

The man had a weird scent, Derek could only smell the fact that he was human and absolutely nothing else even though the stranger looked wasted, unwashed, exhausted... But his voice was clearly the one he couldn't put a face on before. This, was the man behind the voice on Deaton's phone, the one who had helped them in the dark.

"What are you ?" Derek asked without even thinking about all the other questions that were boiling in his head.

"What am I ? You mean who, right ? The fuck ! You come into MY house without making a sound, like a creep by the way, and now I'm the one who is supposed to answer YOUR questions ? SERIOUSLY ?"

A car parked in front of the house, Derek already knew it was the sheriff and froze. He didn't know if the guy had said the truth when pretending he was also living in the house nor how he could be related to Noah Stilinski... the man really looked like a drunk wanderer. His heart was steady now that he had recovered from his shock but his scent was still off, he was probably masking it, even before he knew he wasn't alone in the house and he could also be a good liar. Peter had shown him many times that you can't only focus on persons' heartbeat to expose their lies or sincerity.

Before he could decide if the man in front of him was a threat or not, Mr. Stilinski entered the house talking loudly "Okay, Stiles. There wasn't any salad or vegetables at the grocery shop so I've taken pizzas." Then he froze seeing Derek still in the kitchen's entry and smiled. "Hey Derek, I must be too tired, I didn't notice your car in the street."

The sheriff's heartbeat had peaked up on the words "There wasn't any salad or vegetables" but the man had also prooved that he knew he had, at least, a guest. The werewolf looked back to the named "Stiles" and frowned. He could hear the weird ressemblance between "Stiles" and "Stilinski", the two men didn't really look alike but they may have shared the same last name anyway like Peter and himself. But... something was still off because Stiles was clearly the voice on Deaton's phone. Had Deaton called him again ? Was he the solution to their territory matter ? Why Stiles had been such a mistery if he was part of the sheriff's family ? Why was Deaton the one calling and why Noah had never mentioned him ?

"Okay Wolfy, calm down. You look like you're gonna explode." Stiles said approaching him with his hands in evidence like he was trying to tame a wild animal. And maybe it was the calm voice or the soft smile and brown eyes, but it was working. "I'm here to help. I'm the sheriff's son. I'm human... mostly. You can call me Stiles."

"Maybe he would trust you more easily if you didn't look like a hobo." the sheriff stated with a smile in his voice.

"Don't talk to me about trust, you know I know you didn't even check the grocery shop before getting the pizzas."

"Guilty. But still, I asked you to clean yourself and you're still in this crazy state and look like you even managed to get milk on yourself and the floor."

"Derek acted like a creeper ! I was drinking when he showed up without any warning !"

"Well, if you had announced yourself-"

"Deaton was supposed to take care of that ! I told you ! He likes to mess with people !"

Stiles, who was still holding the milk's bottle, finally decided to put it back into the fridge and almost run out of the kitchen to go upstairs in the bathroom.

"Sorry about that. You must feel lost. What happened Derek ? Do you need my help with something ?" Mr. Stilinski asked, inviting Derek to sit with him in the living room on the couch.

Derek trusted the sheriff but now he couldn't help but questioning everything he thought he knew about the man.

"Why never did you mentioned your son before ?"

The man sighed looking away. "It's complicated. He got into an accident. He almost died. I had to let him go away for his safety. And now I still don't know if he has come back for good or not. It's up to him."

"And he's not human."

"Yes, he is. Mostly, like he says. You know I don't really understand everything about the supernatural but... One day he told me _"to put it simply I'm a warlock, apparently to become one you need to have a witch or a warlock in your family tree and whether or not your powers will reveal themselves is up to the randomness of life."_ And when Stiles got... almost died, that time, he came back to himself with his new abilities."

There was a silence where Derek was processing the new informations. Noah hadn't given any details and it seemed to be intentional, maybe because it wasn't his story to tell or maybe because he didn't know himself everything that had happened. Once again Derek wondered how the sheriff had learned about the supernatural world, he could have learned it from his son but... it would have been for only a few years, after Laura's death, after Peter's, after the whole thing with Jackson... Where was Stiles during those events ?

He was frowning again. He was supposed to trust the policeman but he was hiding something. His heartbeat was calm, he was telling the truth, he wasn't a trickster like his uncle, but he wasn't telling everything. Derek was loosing patience facing all the mistery about the man upstairs who had just finished to shave, when suddenly he heard music coming from there and then water coming from the shower. And then Stiles' voice began to sang to it. " _I put a spell on you. Because you're mine. You better stop the things you do, I tell you I ain't lying. I ain't lying !!!!"._ It was loud and bad. Loudly enough for his father to hear it too.

"Oh my god, he's gonna make me regret missing him." he sighed covering his amused smile with his hands. "Why were you here anyway ?" And then it was Derek's turn to sigh, but he felt more relaxed than when he had stepped into the house previously.

"I wanted to talk about the pack, about what will happen if the other alpha takes over."

"Oh son.... um. I don't really know what the plan is but they won't take over."

Derek's eyebrows almost disappeared in his hair. "How can you be so sure ?"

"My son came back specially for that matter. He will figure it out. He always have a plan."

"It's not flattery that will make me forget your unhealthy meal." the warlock remarked coming down the stairs. The shower had been surprisingly short.

"Can't blame me for trying."

"Do you really have a plan ?" the wolf asked turning his back to the sheriff to face his son.

His beard had disappeared completely and the skin was now revealing moles, he looked younger than before and may have been of Scott's age. He looked refreshed but still drunk. His movements were still approximative. His hair were wet, no more greasy. But his scent had remained unchanged. Derek could smell the shampoo and shower gel coming from the bathroom but not from the young man himself. He had changed into pajamas but was wearing a bathrobe above it which came clearly from a hotel.

"Yeah. Make them go back home with their tails between their legs." he answered proud of his own dog joke.

But the werewolf couldn't even smile at that. A kid he didn't know anything about was apparently their savior and didn't even look serious about playing his role.

"I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. For now let's eat. And of course you're invited. The pizzas will go away faster with you."

 

Derek couldn't sleep after this evening with the Stilinskis, he had been relaxed with them even though he knew they were hiding things, but somehow he had managed to get through the diner with a faint smile on his face in front of a total stranger.

Stiles was a weird guy. He had swear he wasn't drunk that it was just the effect of his "overwhelmed energy" and five minutes later, his father was tucking him in the couch (since his bedroom had been transformed into an office for the sheriff's late work). He also seemed to have tattoos, Derek had gotten little glimpses of them on his neck and his flailing hands. Thin lines that seemed to be the end of a bigger drawing. The werewolf hadn't dare to ask about it, in fact he hadn't dare to ask anything else either. Noah had talked about his recent cases and Stiles about his. Apparently Stiles worked with the FBI as a consultant, and also as an advisor to the supernatural creatures and would even intervene himself to solve problems for both the human and magical worlds. Knowing that, Stiles must have been a really busy man and Derek couldn't imagine how he could have been able to find the time to come to their rescue. Was he also capable of time travelling or duplicating himself ?

And where was he for all those years ? Claudia had died more than ten years ago and Stiles could only be his son so why Derek hadn't seen him before ? Mr. Stilinski didn't seem to be the type to send his only child to a residential school. Derek hadn't really pay attention to the family when he was a teenager but Stiles must have been at Beacon Hills High School at the same time as Scott....

It didn't make any sense at all, that the sheriff could have a hidden child from the pack. And that same child to be a warlock powerfull enough to come alone as their savior. And yet... Derek couldn't doubt their sincerity, he even felt he could trust the new guy with his own life.

It was crazy. He didn't want to trust him, but it was stronger than his will. It may have been a trick. The warlock seemed to know exactly how to tame Derek's wolf and so Derek.

That was why Derek was restless. He ran in the preserve completely turned and tried to clear his head from the gentle voice, eyes, smile and laugh of the young Stilinski. Something was definitely not right about him, an unknown part so big that no one should forget about, and the werewolf was fighting his own mind to not let himself fall for another manipulator's bullshit again.

Maybe he was indeed the sheriff's son, but everything else was questionable and Derek woud make sure to expose his true nature and intentions as of tomorrow.


	3. Bodies... (probably not what you're thinking about... pervs)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another glimpse in Stiles' journal.
> 
> (This chapter follows chapter1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for the sensitive souls, there is a quick description of... bloody things ? Be brave or run... sorry ;)

_Today, I started to work at the station. With his back injury dad doesn't really leave his office, so I help with his paperwork. They don't want to give me an uniform or let me on fieldwork yet, but I'm working on it. We can't let a Stiles on the bench even Coach eventually had realised that ! But well, it's still day one and I've been able to help my dad and watch over his food (since I was in charge of it). I'm gonna make him last no matter what._

_And...I forgot to mention it before but it seems like it's been a few days that a rogue alpha wanders around BH. Derek has been tracking him (or her) for a few weeks now and doesn't even know what supernatural being it is. The person leaves bodies exposed and from what I've understood of Derek's report they are seeking attention. Maybe they want to expose the supernatural or maybe they are trying to frame Derek since he's always the one discovering the victims. The murdereds do not seem to have any connection between them, they are just torn apart like they have been attacked by a pack of wild animals. Plural because (I've seen pictures) they have been shredded to pieces and the identification has been quasi impossible to process with the loss of several fingers, teeth and of course the disfigured faces._

_It's Derek who call it a rogue alpha, but I think it's intentional, that this is not someone who has lost control (there would be a lot more bodies) but someone who wants blood and terror. The victims are both human and supernatural, there is no distinction. And now it's been maybe a week that the culprit is near or inside Beacon Hills.  
_

_When I talked about getting the rest of the pack here, Derek wasn't really fond of it saying that it was a lone alpha, that we couldn't call Scott, Malia and Lydia just for one person. But... I'm not sure we will be able to handle someone that blood thirsty without any sacrifices._

_I have a bad feeling about this. _

_It's not that I don't trust Liam, Corey, Mason, Alec or Derek's abilities, I EVEN NOW TRUST THEO but... we never had an opponent like this one. Peter had a purpose, a logic, the alpha Nazi also had one, however this one kills their victims without any reasons, it kills innocent people and don't eat or steal anything from them._

_Plus, this one has let Derek track them without any threat or sign that they weren't happy about it._

_I actually haven't think about it until now but, the alpha must know that Derek is after them. And they didn't do anything to make him stop. Maybe that's a part of their plan. To frame him or... or what ? I'm going around in circles (isn't that a pleonasm ?) but if I was in the alpha's place, and my purpose wasn't to frame Derek and expose the supernatural, if I just wanted to kill people because... I could ? then I would have get rid of him and Alec a long time ago !_

_The motive is kind of weird though. It must be something else. I must take a better look on this case before making any more assumptions._

 


	4. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles to the rescue and loosing his shit.
> 
> (This chapter follows chapter 2 ;))

They were all here, in Derek's loft, which was almost empty because the werewolf wasn't living there anymore. The whole pack. Stiles hadn't seen them for more than a year. It wasn't technically the case for one of them but it was the same feeling. Every eyes observed his every move, analysing, judging. He couldn't blame them, they didn't remember him. Except for one of them but they hadn't seen each other for just as long as the majority. And the explanations he was about to give them would not be enough, the proof was standing in front of him, between Scott and Alec and surrounded by the rest of the pack who was facing the new guy, Derek. He was still, wary, glaring at him like he was a total fraud.

So Stiles was with his friends again, repressing the urge to talk, to hug, to kiss, to cry, to smile... because he wasn't ready yet to make them remember. He knew he had to but, that could wait. There were some things he'd rathered keep to himself a little longer. But even Theo, the always uncaring Theo, was getting more and more nervous and impatient, Stiles could feel him without even trying to, so he began to talk.

"So... Deaton called me. I already know everything and every one of you." he said slowly, watching every one of them in the eyes and going back to Scott for who he couldn't repress a smile. "Scott, I'm Stiles and I'm here to help."

"And why should we trust you ?" Alec asked being faster than Liam and Malia who were really tensed and suspicious.

"You're covering your scent, what are you ?" the werecoyote added right after.

The last time Malia had looked at him that way was probably at Eichen House before punching him in the face. Remembering that could have make him feel bad, Stiles was possessed at the time, but it was actually a good memory. She had opened to him, she had changed and became more human. She had helped him, and even though their break up had been kind of weird (implied and not voiced out), they had had a good relationship. It was hard to see her being on the defensive towards him.

"Derek didn't tell any of you... Though I gave him a lot of time before coming. You've all been here for like... fifteen minutes without me and... what ? Were you too tired Big Guy ?" the not-so-human-after-all answered looking at Derek with his hands on his hips ready to scold him, but stopped midway and asked more gentle "What did you do last night after dinner ?"

They stared at each other for a while, the sourwolf was still glaring at him, his arms really tightly crossed against his chest, determined to not speak a word and just observe intently the warlock.

"O...kay... You're the sheriff's son, right ?" Mason asked, being the only one to dare intervene. Everybody turned to look immediatly at him with wonder, except Stiles because he could know... everything, but he was still impressed by Mason's logic. "What ? Stiles... Stilinski... Am I the only one who sees a connection ?"

"I'm so proud of you." Stiles whispered emotional without thinking and quickly add to satisfy the others' questions "I'm a warlock. And you can all trust me... because... well I've been approoved by Deaton and... more importantly I am... Claudia and Noah Stilinski's son. And... for now, all you need to know is that I know the alpha who is causing troubles to you and... you don't need to worry because I'm gonna go talk to him and his pack and they will leave."

"How do you know who they are ? He just gave us his first name and Deaton didn't know him." Scott remarked. "How can you know when you just arrived ?"

"Dude, I'm capable of... a lot of things. Don't worry, no one will get hurt. You will all came to the meeting with me, and you will let me talk. No bloodshed, no fight, no death. In fact, everything is gonna happen so fast that you will even wonder what you were so concerned about."

 

"Stiles."

"Thomas."

 The two packs were glaring at each other in the preserve, the Nemeton was just a few feet away, they could all feel it, except for Mason, but the human still knew where it was. Thomas was leading his pack, his betas staying behind him making him look more powerful and superior. Stiles had adopt the same position, keeping the McCall pack behind him, showing that he would be in charge and the only one they were allowed to talk to. And he could already play the conversation with the alpha inside his head, come with multiple scenarios. He had already seen in Scott's head who was the disruptor, but now he could hear his every thoughts.

"Silent as always. Already trying to convince me, in every possible ways ? I thought you were more of an action guy."

"Well, if you knew me before you wouldn't be complaining about my silence... but you should keep your petty remarks to another day. Well... for now on, someone else. I just want you to leave this territory and never try again to claim it. It's already taken."

"Come on Stiles, we both know how untrue that is. This land is unprotected. The werewolves, werecoyote, banshee and... et cetera, don't even dare to look like a pack. They are just jokes who have failed many times at protecting this town and let so many people get killed because of their inefficiency."

The warlock already knew what the alpha would be saying, and didn't stop his speech because he thought the pack needed to hear his points. It would be useful later, when he would help his friends to properly unite. They had to hear criticism, rethink things over, question themselves in order to get some progress. But the effect (which was to be expected) was bad. The pack was triggered, those who could make their eyes glow and show their fangs and claws had done so, and for the rest of them, fists were ready to punch. Mason was even lifting a baseball bat, Stiles' (even though he couldn't remember whose it was), ready to hit.

"I know how shitty this pack is. But don't ever imply that you could have done better than them, even with your actual pack. We both know how your pack was in the day, when you were still a beta by the way, and how it is now. And given the only ressources we had... we handled all the supernatural crises that came to us pretty well." Stiles hadn't made it on purpose but when he had started to say "we", he hadn't been able to stop. Thomas knew anyway, playing innocent for Stiles' pack, he wanted to make them doubt him. The warlock didn't want to spill all these informations while most of his friends didn't know what he was talking about, but the werewolf in front of them wouldn't go easily off an idea. And the more the conversation would drag on, the more the probability of breaking into a fight would increase.

"So... this is your pack ? Really ? They don't look like they know it though. By the way, weren't you a worlwide emissary just a few days ago ?"

"Don't play dumb, you already know who they are to me. I already explained to you my situation."

"Oh yeah... about how you almost killed... one of them... and... would have... kill-"

"Shut up !"

The werewolf hadn't stop talking because Stiles had yelled, but because he had fell on his knees suddenly unable to breathe. The warlock quickly released his hold but everyone had already noticed that the young man had been able to do it without making any move and tensed up.

"Don't talk about it when you don't know any details. You came here knowing that it was the pack I had told you about, that I protected from afar and you still decided to act, thinking that if you were fast enough and playing by the rules, I wouldn't have been able to do anything. But here I am, furious and you're trying to turn my friends against me ?"

"Your friends ? They don't even know you !"

"Trust is all that matters right now !"

"This one doesn't trust you." Thomas pointed a finger at Derek who was frowning like always, his eyes were blue, but everything else was human. Those eyes travelled between Stiles and Thomas, back and forth, back and forth, until they finally stopped on the alpha werewolf who began to talk again while the warlock was frozen  by the sudden understanding of Thomas' words. He hadn't seen the mistrust in Derek, there had been a lot of frowning, but Stiles had thought being enough convincing. He hadn't use his powers on Derek, he couldn't, but he still had bet on the wolf who would never reject him and had made no more effort in checking...

"You don't trust him, right ? Do you even know him ? Why is he even here in the first place ? I'm sure you had plenty of questions but just couldn't dare to ask. Maybe you even trust him deep down like a reflex, but you don't understand why." Derek looked more and more convinced by the other werewolf's analysis. It was Thomas' talent. He knew really well how to judge people, he had studied psychiatry but he already had facilities in that field. "That's what he does. I suppose he didn't told any of you that he could control minds, read your every thoughts and control them."

"Okay. That's enough." Stiles said suddenly completely calm. He putt himself between Derek and Thomas who had approached the wolf very slowly like a tamer. Facing the alpha, the warlock crossed his arms against his chest to prevent himself from punching the man. "Nathalie advised you really badly about this pack and its history, I may have my part of responsibilities for not being present enough but now that I am here, I'm not planning to mess around anymore with the other alphas' problems and I'm gonna start with you, obviously. But you already know that, since making your way here would definitely upset me. So... if you leave now, I promise to not humiliate you in front of your betas. You said that I was more of an action guy, don't make me show that part of me to you."

"Come on Stiles. What is a pack without an alpha ? Scott doesn't even live here anymore. In fact, I don't care if they are here or not, I just want to claim the land and install my pack here."

"Scott lives about... an hour away by car from here. Plus, he's not the only alpha in the pack. And anyway, with me here, they could in fact live anywhere the fuck they want."

"I don't want to upset you any more but... I can only see blue and yellow eyes around Scott." Thomas said sarcastically and looking at his betas to get some laughs.

"Derek is an alpha." the mostly-human said, making a quick gesture in the direction of the said wolf and the intruder looked more amused than confused. "Don't look at me like that. I know you've all seen his blue eyes. He doesn't know either." Stiles interrupted himself to look at those beautiful eyes which were staring at him with more confusion than ever. He then looked away and continued. "He needs my help but it will take no time for him to get his alpha status back. If you want to see it for yourself, I'll let you stay a few days but I don't recommand it, an angry Stilinski is a vengeful one. For example, my dad once handcuffed me to a desk because I had lied to him. And don't get me started on the things I have done to my en-"

"Bullshit."

It wasn't Thomas who had interrupted him, but one of his betas, though Stiles punched the alpha in the nose anyway. Why ? Because the werewolf was himself about to protest. And he still wanted to disturb his friends enough so they would be the one to start a fight, and maybe even prove how unorganised they were.

However Stiles did not stop with one punch and the people around them could only watch him hit the face of the alpha again and again in the face. Because of the hierarchy and traditions the betas wouldn't intervene when their leader was facing only one opponent, so Stiles took advantage of it. And for maybe half a minute the warlock broke his hand into the werewolf's jaw and cheekbone, making him spit blood and even though there weren't any bruises on the skin (because of the fast healing), Stiles could feel how painful it was. It would have been better if Scott had been the one to hit but, it was more humiliating to be beaten up by an emissary, pain was just a bonus.

They didn't count, Stiles couldn't really do the math, but he might have punched the man at least thirty times in a row. And with each hit, he had gotten faster and faster, harder and harder. Thomas never lost consciousness nor could he ever place a word or try to protect himself, he had endured the Stiles' storm of anger and was now lying on the ground catching his breath, staring at the clear sky while the puncher was holding every glances from the betas who would dare to look him in the eyes.

"Leave now or you won't last enough to see what I reserve to your pack."

The emissary turned around and left the meeting without waiting for an answer, he knew Thomas would obey, and he didn't want to see nor feel judgement coming from his pack. He had swear to them that no one would have to fight, and he had been the one to break his right hand against the troublemaker's face after only five minutes. He passed through Scott and Liam who had split to make space for him, and after two minutes he had found his jeep parked among the others' cars. He got in and took a deep breath. His hand was hurting like hell, he had cut himself and must have left blood on the werewolf's face, small victory, meaning his skin might be burning right now. But the alpha only needed to wash away the blood with water while Stiles needed to get to the hospital. He took a dirty cloth from his glove box and wrapped it around his palm, he could feel his heart beating in his entire arm but the throbbing was more concentrated in his fingers. The young man didn't want to let anyone see his need for help so he didn't stay longer parked and left for the emergencies, doing the best he could to drive with only one hand a manual car.

 


	5. Connection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "we could have missed forever those details"
> 
> (This chapter follows chapter 3)

_It's been three days since my last entry._

_There was a body in the woods today, near Derek's house. He's been rebuilding it, with Alec and Theo, recently. I had suggested it without thinking on the last pack meeting, and maybe my words had been spread to the sourwolf's ears. I don't actually know what made him do it... and I didn't question him since I don't want to make him look more into the matter. It's great ! He's moving on. And I didn't ask either where Braeden is, he didn't come back with her, and hasn't talk about her.  
_

_Well, it's not like we have talked recently anyway so I don't know a fucking thing about Derek's present life except that he is not alone anymore because Alec is almost always with him.. ._

_I didn't see Derek for those three days, I missed a phone call from him the day after my arrival but he didn't leave a message nor did he try to call again..._

_Okay, I know I must talk about the body first, since it's a bigger problem but.. DEREK TRIED TO CALL ME ! ME ! I DIDN'T PICK UP ! and I didn't fucking dare to call back._

_Maybe he was trying to call someone else ? Like Scott ? Maybe when he wanted to put his big thumb on his name, he got mine which was just under it and.... damn it. Why did he call at 10 AM anyway ? I had forgotten my phone in the jeep in the carpark of the station !_

_And I was also too busy looking for a pattern in the murder's kills that we are looking for..._

_ANYWAY !_

_Sourwolf found a body in the woods. When I heard that coming from my dad's mouth in his office, being on the phone with Derek, it felt like a déjà vu. That time when I dragged Scott in the middle of a night to find a dead body... well the missing half of a dead body. And who had found it first ? Derek. Well it's just a coincidence I guess. But not entirely ! Because it has maybe inspired the killer._

_Dad let me go with Parrish, to see if I could understand more of it. I had only seen pictures of the other victims, I needed to get my own perspective._

_Right now we only know the victim was male and a lacrosse player from Beacon Hills High. But that's not exactly it._

_The number on his jersey was 24, maybe it's another coincidence but it was also my number when I was in the team, and it might mean something. So I looked over the other victims' files again and I tried to find something that would not connect them between themselves but with us.  
_

_And here is what I've found :_

  * _The first victim (male) was a born wolf like Derek._
  * _The second (male) had asthma like Scott used to._
  * _The third (female) was a prom queen = Lydia._
  * _The fourth (male) was a sword master = Kira._
  * _The fifth (female) had an Intermittent Explosive Disorder = Liam._
  * _The sixth (male) was a born coyote = Malia._
  * _The seventh (female) was a sheriff = DAD._
  * _The eighth (female) had just got a heart transplant = Theo._
  * _The 9th (male) was a nurse = Melissa._
  * _The tenth (male) was a human deminer = Parrish._
  * _The eleventh (female) was a hunter (animal hunter but still) like Chris Argent._
  * _The twelfth (male) was an only child, gay, black with earrings like Mason._
  * _The thirteenth (female) was completely alone and even though she was 16 and lived with her parents, no one had reported her disappearance or even noticed it like what happened to Corey when the Dread Doctors killed him._
  * _And the last one (male) wore the lacrosse jersey with the number 24, like me._



_Now that I've written it all down, it makes so much sense, it can't be coincidental. Someone is after all of us. But I still don't know why that person would go after all these innocents and through so much trouble to get our attention... we could have missed forever those details.  
_

_I must talk to everyone._


	6. Answers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guess what ? Here is what happened after Stiles left the two packs with themselves in chapter 4

Once Stiles had left the two packs with themselves, there had been a long silence where everyone was waiting for someone to speak or do something. Derek didn't know if what had been said was the truth (the warlock hadn't denied everything), and he didn't even know if the other pack was finally leaving or if they still wanted to fight. So he kept silent watching the alpha who was still lying on the ground with a faint smile on his face. His skin wasn't bruised but it was getting redder and darker through the blood that must have been Stiles'.

After a few minutes, they could hear a car ignite and drive off, and the tension seemed to suddenly vanish from every shoulders.

"You should wash your face before it leaves a scar." Theo said finally. He walked toward the alpha, but only to turn around and talk to his friends. "We should go after Stiles or wait for his return at his house." The chimera wasn't originally the type to give his opinion to the entire pack or even suggest to do something together, he was more open to Liam and would rather stay by his side, alone. "Our friend needs us."

It was weird, really. The guy had arrived not even a day ago, he was apparently the sheriff's son, a man they were really close to. So close that they would have heard of his only son before, but never did. And an alpha, they didn't know a thing about either, had mentionned that not only Stiles was a manipulator but also had been a threat to one of them... Derek was lost. He had already realized that his memory had been really messed up lately, but even if this last event had brought many answers about the warlock's identity, it had brought even more questions. Was Stiles behind everything ? The missing pieces in Derek's past ? Was he, at some point, a part of their pack ? Was he really a friend ? Had their memories been erased ?

Theo started to walk the same path their supposed ally had taken to get to the cars, and everybody followed him. Even the other pack and its leader. Derek tagged along. Theo was leading, Liam was whispering into his right ear, asking what the hell he knew about all this, because he was the only one in their pack to look like everything was normal. Mason and Corey, close behind, were silent and still on their guard. Scott was between Malia and Lydia, right after, telling them that Stiles wouldn't have left if the matter hadn't been settled. And Alec right in front of Derek seemed to just listen to every conversations around them, even those behind their backs in the ennemies' pack, unsettled and confused. And when they eventually arrived to the cars, Thomas stopped Derek with a gentle hand on his shoulder making him turn around violently.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. You must be Derek Hale, right ?" Derek just looked at him with a face that was clearly saying _"What do you want now ?"_ so he didn't wait for an answer since it was just to engage a conversation. "About earlier... What I said about Stiles manipulating you... I was just... It's not true. He would never do that, to any of you and... uhh... Just... just take care of him and don't ever doubt him, okay ? He deserves... everything."

"You're the one coming after us, apparently knowing that it would affect him and now you're telling me.... that he's a nice guy and... what the hell is wrong with you ? He just broke his hand against your face, your only reaction was to let him do it and then smile. And now you're telling me to take care of him ?"

"I know it sounds crazy... but I like testing people even those who I consider my friends... I have a bad personality. I've been told that many times. And I didn't do it, claim this land, to just upset him, I really wanted it. To protect it. It's my friend's hometown, which he left and didn't dare to come back to. And I was pretty sick of seeing him being away from the people he loved, and had even become a stranger to... So yeah... I kind of wanted to change something here, either make you leave or bring him back. I don't think he realized that, when he got here, I've manipulated him, it's not easy but there is a trick. Stiles doesn't go deep in someone's head if he doesn't need to, so I've focused all of my thoughts on how I would attack his pack, to oblige him in staying. I consider it like a win. Don't you think it's better if your... emissary... is here with you ?"

"So you were ready to fight us, and him, to provoke a change ?"

"Yes."

"And kill ?"

"Yes."

The others were around them, attentive to the discussion, even Thomas' pack hadn't been aware of his true intentions judging by the look on their faces. But they didn't look very surprised by the revelations. Thomas must have been a really excentric alpha.

"But," Thomas added before turning away and getting to his car. "Stiles always gets what he wants. When I heard that he was here, I knew you would all be safe. In fact, with him here, you all will even get the advantages of his reputation. In the last few months, Stilinski has become someone truely respected. People either like him or hate him, and both fear him. He is amasing and once you all remember him, you will understand what I'm talking about."

"So why did you make yourself his enemy then ?" Derek asked, not raising his voice since they were both werewolves and even though everyone was parting their way to their cars.

"It's okay, I'm sure that once he's cooled his head, he will realised what I was really doing." Thomas answered beside his car, a woman was next to him shuffling into the vehicle and quickly came out of it with what looked like a white shirt pressed into a ball and a bottle of water. The alpha washed his face, apparently Stiles' blood was acting like a poison. The young Stilinski was definitely not human. "Goodbye Wolfy." He then said with a smirk looking back to Derek before getting into his car on the passenger seat while the woman started it.

"Derek ?" the shy voice of Alec came from where he was standing next to Derek's camaro, waiting for him to unlock the doors. And the wolf do so immediately. Once in the car behind the steering wheel he waited for the rest of the vehicles to leave and then started his own and followed the road that would lead them to the sheriff's house.

 "So... you're an alpha ?" asked the boy beside him.

"That talk raised a lot more questions than it had answered." he sourly said before adding "I guess now, we will finally know the truth about Stiles' identity."

"You don't believe he's the sheriff's son ?"

"It might have been the only truth."

"Do you really not trust him ?"

"I trust him... but I don't want to, unless he tells us everything."

Alec wasn't the talkative type but when his interest was picked on, it was hard for Derek to keep his patience with the flow of questions that could be easily released in just a few seconds.

"He is weird, right ? Are all warlocks like him ?"

"I don't know."

"I trust him though. I think he didn't lie to us about anything, but it would be better to remember what happened. Maybe he could start by explaining what Thomas was saying about Stiles almost killing one of us."

Derek stay silent a few seconds, waiting for another question and sighed relieved that the kid was done. "That would be great, yeah."

They had arrived at the Stilinskis' house. But none of them was there. The rest of the pack had arrived before them though. Scott and Malia were talking with Liam on the porch, Theo was sitting on the stairs his elbows on his knees biting his lower lip, and Mason and Corey were watching, on Mason's phone, a video, smiling, next to him.

Derek wanted to talk to Theo but didn't really know how to phrase his interrogations. The chimera had seemed to be the only one who hadn't reacted to Thomas' and Stiles' conversation. Like he already knew who the warlock was.

"What do we do ?" Alec asked. He had unlocked his seatbelt like Derek and didn't make a move to get out of the car as well.

"We wait. Stiles must be at the hospital. And Noah at work."

"But... he is a warlock, can't he heal himself with a spell ?"

"I don't know much about magic, but maybe he doesn't know how to... or maybe the injury requires surgery first. You know, like when we break a bone we have to put it in place ourselves before the healing process begins."

"Oh yeah... that must be it."

"Or maybe he's not at the hospital and just left Beacon Hills again."

Derek didn't know why he had said that, he couldn't believe it himself that the warlock would take off right after affirming that he was staying. However he had also assured that there would be no fighting... but could they really call that a fight when one guy had punch another 27 times in a row without getting any sort of retaliation ?

 

It had been a long day for the born wolf, he hadn't slept, had to come back to his loft to a meeting in the morning which was supposed to settle him on a plan a stranger had come up with to save their land. A plan that wasn't a plan since it was just the said stranger/ally talking to a stranger/ennemi just an hour later... and then he had to follow his pack to the stranger/ally's house to wait for his return...

 

Three hours had passed, it was almost 2 in the afternoon, when Stiles came back as a passenger in the sheriff's car. Alec was listening to a sad song and singing softly along under his breath "... _I run away when things are good and never really understood the way you laid your eyes on me, in ways that no one ever could. And so it seems I broke your heart, my ignorance has struck again, I failed to see it from the start and tore you open 'til the end..."_ lulling Derek who had been mostly asleep. The others had gotten into the house after a wait of maybe twenty minutes, so the two remaining werewolves looked, more than they actually were, unwilling to get to "their friend".

Opening his eyes slowly to see the sheriff helping his son, who had apparently settled himself on the back seat which was meant for the suspects, to get out of the cruiser. Stiles had a cast on his right arm and looked very tired. He didn't seem to notice Derek and Alec who were still in Derek's car on the other side of the street and got home.

The two wolves started to hear Scott asking about the injury and Stiles brushing it off with a "metacarpuses" and then asking "What the hell are you all doing here ? I need to sleep !"

That's when Derek and Alec entered and Stiles looked at them and sighed like their arrival was just one more trouble.

"Stiles."

Everybody moved to look at Theo, thinking he was about to say more but the two men just stared at each other in silence making everyone uncomfortable. Excepting Noah who was now drinking a beer in the kitchen and probably already know what he needed to know.

"Are they talking telepathically ?" Alec whispered to Derek like no one else could hear him that way and immediately Scott, Malia and Liam started to relax because they hadn't thought about that possibility like Derek, Mason and Corey.

"Either that or... they are really into each other and forgot all about us." The older wolf answered hoping to get Stiles' attention with his sarcasm since it was like a language for the warlock.

And it actually worked, Stiles did give a look in Derek's direction with an expression that could only be translated by "Really ? You're making jokes ? Now ?"

"Stiles." The chimera sighed again more impatient.

"Fine !... Everyone in the living room, it's gonna be quick. Details will come later. Sit anywhere you find a space, I don't care. And listen." The warlock announced moving into the said room and showing with his cast and other flailing hand the couch and ground. Everybody obeyed and sat on either, excepting Derek who rathered stay in the back, against the wall, with his arms around his chest. Stiles looked at him for a mere second and just averted his eyes to stare at everybody else and started his story. "A year and a half ago, I was bitten. First by Kate Argent who had kidnapped and tortured me and then by Scott who was trying to save me... because I was bleeding out and practically dead. Kate had got away and I couldn't speak because she had crushed... my trachea or my adam's apple... maybe both I don't really remember. Anyway, when I woke up hours later I was a warlock with uncontrollable powers... and I had to get away because... I'd get everyone around me in danger. So Deaton made sure that the most of you wouldn't remember me. I had asked that my dad would not forget and Theo was the better choice to be the third one because of course Alan would remember too. So... I am the sheriff's son, Scott's best friend and emissary... Malia's first boyfriend and first anchor, Lydia is my first love, we dated and... I had just broken up with her when Kate attacked me... And of course, I'm friends with all of you."

There had been some details and everything made sense but one question was still on everyone's lips. But Alec suddenly asked a very different question. "So you're Michael, right ?"

Stiles looked surprised and completely taken aback. "Uh... um... yeah but... no ?"

"Michael ?" Derek repeated looking at his mentee wondering where that name came from.

"You're the one who found Derek when he had gone full wolf and disappeared more than a year ago. Right ?"

"Yeah, I know what you're talking about Alec. But my name is not Michael, it was a little lie I asked Theo and Alan to tell the pack so you would not worry too much. Well... I just lied about the name."

"Then what's your name ?"

"It doesn't matter, I never use it. It's just as hard to say it as it is to spell it... It's awful."

Derek crisped his hands under his armpits but immediately stopped when he heard the older Stilinski's voice.

"It's your grandfather's name !" The sheriff yelled passing by in the hallway to go out again.

"And I'm sure he hated it too ! And don't even think about getting pizza when you get back after work !"

There was a silence when the door shut behind Noah, but it was quickly interrupted by Corey's intervention. "Then, who did you almost kill ?"

Stiles who had looked proud about his speech before, suddenly let his eyes drop to his shoes, biting his lower lip with his hands on his hips. The movement made him grimace more violently, because of his broken bones and he groaned.

He was muted for a few seconds and finally whispered a name that no one was expecting. "Derek."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song is : Sorry by Halsey


	7. Dead and undead...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lydia's here, Derek's not.

_I took a day off today from the station (I know that it's not even been a week, but I asked a deputy to watch after my dad so he wouldn't leave his office and overworked himself) to call everyone, they said they were coming. I even got Lydia on the phone. Her actual voice and not the voicemail one. I told Scott everything about the victims and their connection to us and then with the other calls I got less keen on the details so it was more difficult to make Lydia, Liam and Derek to believe me. But they finally agreed to meet tomorrow at Derek's loft. I tried to suggest Scott's house, or even mine, but it didn't work._

_It's not even the fact that I want to avoid Derek the most I can, it's because I don't like to go to that place anymore. Too much memories. Boyd's death, Jennifer, the Nogitsune or... the times I would get there to ask for Derek's help and he wouldn't even be in town, or in the country._

_Now the place represents danger and death to me. I hope he will rebuilt the Hale house really quickly._

 

Stiles stopped his writing. Something was bugging him. They were facing a murderer who was certainly after them, not knowing their identity but who knew theirs pretty well judging by the ressemblances between the fourteen victims and them. But the human was more preoccupied by his relationship with Lydia and his feelings for Derek. More interested by the fact that the day after he would be able to talk to his "girlfriend" (he couldn't think of Lydia as his lover, but that was maybe because they never had the time to actually date or do couple's stuff.)

Stiles' phone started to ring and Derek's nickname came up on the screen. The sourwolf would always call instead of text and the human wasn't fond of it. The wolf would be able to hear his heartbeat, voice, breathing, anything that could translate how uneasy he was to hear Derek's voice, Derek asking for help or advice, Derek talking to him.

"Heyy whassup ?" Stiles answered after a long blow.

_"... There is an other body. Male, in his forties, brown hair, blues eyes, single father, wife in prison, former detainee... half burned."_

"Peter."

_"... What is that song ?"_

"What ?"

_"The song you're listening to."_

Stiles had completely forgotten to put off the music on his computer before picking up the phone and immediately regretted it.

_"Stiles ?"_

"Baby."

_"What ?"_

"Baby by Bishop Briggs."

_"Oh... Okay."_

Stiles could feel himself blushing hearing " _...my baby's got a fucked up head, doesn't matter cause he's so damn good in bed."_ He cleared his throat without wanting to and came back to the real conversation. "How do you know so many things about the victim ?"

_"He still had his ID on him. I'm with Jordan and he immediately entered his name in his computer."_

"How did he die ?"

_"Not sure. His throat has been ripped out, there are also other lacerations on the arms, stomack and back, and his upper body has been set on fire. With gasoline... I can't smell anything else except the accelerent and burning flesh."_

Hearing those two last words Stiles' heart broke. Derek's voice was emotionless but it didn't mean he wasn't affected. Stiles shut the music up, took a breath and closed his eyes before asking. "Where is Alec ?"

_"... With your dad, at the station. Waiting for more informations."_

"Like what ? We don't need to know anything else. The message is clear. We are all concerned, maybe the next victim will be like Jackson, Ethan... Deaton."

Stiles didn't say Cora on purpose. Derek was probably thinking about it anyway. The werewolf stayed silent, and the human already knew why he had sent Alec away from him, he was disturbed by this murder, more than the others. And it was indeed different from the previous ones. Burning the body was specific, not only because it represented a werewolf who had been set on fire twice, but also because it was a method used against Derek's family. A method used by one particular psycho.

"Derek ?"

_"What ?"_

"... Go get Alec, and go back to your loft, we will talk tomorrow."

The werewolf didn't answer, Stiles heard him sighed and for three long seconds, he fought his need to go himself comfort him. Then he heard a rustling and nothing. Derek had hung up without any more words. He couldn't be sure that Derek would obey, but he rathered think that his order would be fulfilled anyway. He hoped the werewolf would not isolate himself, he had to convince himself, to believe it, otherwise he would give up and run to his side.

 

 

The day after, Stiles arrived at the loft at 2PM. The others were supposed to get there around three, but the human just couldn't stay still anymore and Alec didn't even dare to look surprised when he saw Stiles go through the door, from the sofa he was in, reading a book.

"Derek's not here."

"Why ?"

"I don't know. He said an hour ago that he was coming back and then left. He left me no time to question him."

The human was getting frustrated at the calm and innocent face of the little wolf. Alec wasn't really good at socializing. Sometimes he could be able to ask a lot of questions, without trouble and annoy people. Stiles was kinda proud of him for that but, some other times he would forget that he was a werewolf who could catch an other werewolf to get more informations if he really wanted to. Or maybe, it was because it involved his mentor. Derek and him were so good together because Alec wouldn't dare to pester him around with the "where" and "with whom" or "what for" questions Stiles was so keen of.

"What happened last night ?" Stiles asked anyway hoping that, at least the two of them were together.

"We found a body, on our way back to the loft. In fact, Derek smelled that someone had been burnt and left the car asking me to call the sheriff... but don't you already know that ?"

"After that... Derek told me you were at the station, did you learn anything else there ?"

"No. And then he called me saying we had enough."

"Okay. Good." Stiles was feeling lighter and would have cried his satisfaction if he hadn't had a public. "Did- Did you talk to him ? Is he okay ?"

The puppy stared at the young man in front of him, from the couch he was still sitting on and tilted his head to the right, like this gesture would help him to get inside Stiles' head.

"I'm not sure."

"About what ?"

"About Derek's state of mind. We ate dinner at a family's restaurant and drove back home in silent. Then he directly go upstairs to his bedroom and I think he fell asleep just a few minutes after his shower."

That was definitely a behavior a normal Derek would have, but Stiles couldn't believe that the sourwolf was okay. Stiles finally sat aside to Alec and called Derek's number to make sure the man was still alive.

_"What ?"_

"Hey babe, I'm fine and you ?"

_"..."_

"Where are you ?"

_"What do you want Stiles ?"_

"I want to know where the fuck you are !"

_"..."_

Alec was giving shocked looks to Stiles, but he couldn't give two shit about it, a murderer was around and maybe Derek was actually trying to go after them alone.

"Come back to your loft. Now. Not in 5 seconds. Turn around and get your ass here !" This time it's the human who hung up first without waiting for an answer, Derek was probably doing something stupid and he knew it.

"Why do you get angry so easily ?" Alec asked still surprised by the way Stiles could sometimes speak to his respected elder.

"I'm not angry."

"You almost yelled."

"If I was really angry, you wouldn't have add "almost". I'm worried. Get back to your book, I'll take a quick nap before the big guy arrives."

 

Thirty minutes later, Stiles woke up to the sound of the heavy sliding door and was baffled to see Lydia, Scott and Malia coming inside with no signs of the actual owner of the place. Seeing Stiles made Lydia rush and collide in a hug with him with a high-pitched voice and Stiles got a quick flash back of her seeing Jackson after a long separation, when they had broken into Gerard's den. They didn't kiss and the redhead quickly get off of him to give a small peck on Alec's right cheek. Then it was Scott's turn to jump on him before the human could get up from the couch.

"Oh come on ! Don't crush me, Stiles is breakable !" he complained but still hugged back his best friend.

"Where is Derek ?" Liam asked, followed by Theo, Mason and Corey where the door had been left open.

"Must be on his way here... a matter of seconds since Stiles called him half an hour ago."

The said human looked at his phone to check the hour and frowned. It was taking too long, maybe Derek had encountered a problem, maybe he had been caught, maybe he was already dead.

"Stiles ?" Scott asked worried by the acceleration of his best friend's heartbeat. "What's wrong ?"

"Derek is in trouble." The young man answered while pressing his thumb on the calling button.

He called. Three times. Always getting to voicemail directly and each time Stiles would get more and more anxious and shaky, his whole body actually vibrating.

"Okay... Stiles calm down. Where did Derek go ? When did he leave ?" Scott asked, trying to ground his friend by putting his hands on his shoulders and make him sit again on the couch. But the human retreated from his touch and got to the other side of the furniture, where no one could reach him, giving an accusing glare to Alec who shrugged with innocence still on his features.

"They found a body yesterday, a man like Peter, half burned. Derek was disturbed. He tried to go after the culprit alone."

There was no doubts in his words, he didn't have time to make suggestions. He _knew_ he was right. He _felt_ it. Alec was confused and unbelieving.

"No, he would have said so. He left for a few hours, that's all. He said he was coming back. We don't even know who is behind-"

"It's Kate." Stiles cutted him. "We didn't say it aloud last night on the phone, but Derek came obviously to the same conclusion."

"Kate Argent ? Wasn't she supposed to be dead ?"

Nobody answered that question, they all looked at each other while Stiles was pacing in front of the big window mumbling to himself words that even supernatural ears could not understand since it was Polish. They had to come up quickly with a plan, or he was going to loose his mind.

It's Lydia who dared to approach him first. "Stiles ? Come with me."

They left the loft to go on the roof of the building, she made him take long breathes until he was calm enough. He then sat on the ground and gathered his knees under his chin with his arms and continued to focus on his breathing while she talked crouched in front of him, touching his hands affectionately. "We need you. You're the one who is able to sort things out. You're the emissary, remember ? I don't even understand how you can be so sure that Derek is in trouble but I trust you. We trust you. And if you're saying that Kate is the one behind all this... the one after us, killing people to send us a message, a threat or just to trigger us, then it only can be true. Now, you have to get your shit together and tell us what to do."

"She took her time. She had made a plan. Her scheme was clear. Killing each one of us symbollically before... the real ones."

"Okay."

"But she hasn't finish yet. Deaton, Jackson, Ethan, Cora..."

"I don't get it. What do you mean ?"

"Maybe Derek found her and she had to do something."

"Kill him or take him ?"

"She would never kill him first. She would... She would even make him watch our deaths. Maybe that's why he's always the one finding the bodies while it should have been you."

"So... by finding her, Derek just made it easier for her. Maybe she will just drop the killing of the innocents and finally go after us ?"

"One by one. She will take all of us..."

They stayed silent for a few seconds processing the awful truth that Stiles had come up with in an epiphany, without understanding himself how he had done that, whereas a minute ago he was panicking at the idea of Derek's death.

"Okay. Let's talk to the others." Lydia said standing up and starting to walk toward the door behind Stiles.

"Wait. We need to talk." Stiles stopped her, getting up too.

He knew it shouldn't be the time for this, but he felt that it was needed, that it would be his only chance to come clean.

"I know. It's okay, Stiles. We're better as friends." the redhead smiled gently, reaching out her hand so he would hold onto it while they walked back to their friends.

 

When Stiles and Lydia exposed their conclusions to the rest of the pack, interrupting each other ever three seconds, everyone was ready to hear the emissary's plan, staring at him with great expectations. Because, yes he was Scott's emissary. There hadn't been a ceremony or even a real talk on the subject but it has already been a few weeks that Scott had told in front of everyone that no one else but Stiles could be more fitted for this status.

"Kate must have found somewhere we didn't look yet, a secluded place, out of town but the nearest possible for more practicity. She's waiting to get her next victim, maybe it will be Scott since he was the second victim after Derek but... we can't be sure because she's going to kill Derek last and... wait the fourth victim was Kira, did someone got news from her ?"

Lots of eyes turned to look at Scott then layed on Malia and last on their shoes or anywhere else to hide their embarrassment. Even Stiles and Scott had never talked about the romance between the true alpha and the kitsune after the skinwalkers... But Kira was meant to live centuries and wouldn't blame Scott for his change of heart.

But it was still weird.

"I called her. She's still with the skinwalkers and she must be in the safest place ever with them." Lydia answered breaking the tension Stiles had put on their friends with his question.

"You're right. What about Peter ?"

It was weird to care about Peter's sake, but they had also become allies with Deucalion at some point, even Theo was now part of their pack so... it was starting to be a legitimate thing to do. Derek's uncle was pack too. Plus, discovering his paternity with Malia had changed him, made him care for someone else other than himself.

"He didn't pick up when I called." Malia answered suddenly nervous at the idea of what it could mean.

"When did you call him ?" Lydia and Stiles asked at the same time.

"It's been three days, I tried again this morning and it rang to the voicemail."

Lydia gave a knowing look to Stiles that he ignored, too focused on Malia's nervosity. He wanted to give her comfort, but it was Scott's job now and the alpha did it by taking her hand and giving a little kiss on her fingers.

"What do we do ?" Scott asked with his eyes full of hope to his brother.

"We need a hunter, preferably one who knows better than anyone else Kate Argent."

At the door of the loft, which was still open, someone appeared just in time.

"Well... I guess that's where I make my entrance." Chris said dramatically with an amused smile on his lips and already ready to hunt.


	8. Frustration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Derek is being ignored and doesn't like it...

"The gap between two full moons is about 29 days, 44 minutes and 2.9 seconds." Stiles was saying to Alec who was clinging to him like glu since the warlock had given him back his memories.

"How do you know so many things ? Wait, no I already know that but... How do you remember all those things ?"

Derek was feeling more and more frustrated. It had been a few days since the case of the alpha and his pack trying to take their territory, and Stiles had taken back his place as the emissary, his bedroom in his dad's house and had made everyone remember him.

Excepting Derek.

They were at Derek's house, Scott was back at UCLA with Malia, and Lydia to the MIT, so he was left in charge of the rest of the pack again with this time a new (or not so new) member he couldn't even come to really rely on because the man was always avoiding him. Not actually avoiding him, in fact the warlock was around all the time. But he was always busy talking or helping someone else and wouldn't let any chance for Derek to speak with him.

And right now, Stiles was "tutoring" Alec. "Tutoring" because the two of them were always ending rambling on other subjects when they got really excited. Stiles was VERY knowledgeable and Alec VERY thirsty for informations. Derek didn't even know what they were studying today because when he had come back from his morning jog they were already talking about the supernatural.

"I think it's because of my abilities."

"Mind control." Alec nodded whispering like it was still a secret.

Derek was near them, they were all in the living room (which was the room to your right when you entered the house), the two young men were using the table whereas the elder was sitting on the couch near it. Alec had his back on Derek, and Stiles facing Alec on the same side of the table was also facing Derek. They would get sometimes quick glances at each other but always averting their eyes immediately. Derek was trying to read a book. He didn't know what else to do with the rest of his forenoon. Usually  he would spend it with Alec, train him, patrolling or just hang out, grocery shopping, play basketball, go to the library since they both liked litterature... sometimes they would even talk about Alec's future, his coming back to school next year, graduating, getting a job. Derek was ready to pay for his studies no matter how long they would be. But now... a stranger was getting in the way, he was in his house taking his place as a mentor and even dismiss his presence, as if he was just a mirage. The werewolf even thought that maybe Stiles' intentions were to provoke him, make him leave. Maybe it was something related to their past. He didn't know what had happened between them, how Stiles had almost killed him, or why Stiles had been, just a few weeks after, the one to take care of him when he had first lost control on the full moon.

However he did know some things that no one needed to tell him, things that brought to him even more confusion concerning the status of his relationship with the emissary before the whole mess with Kate Argent. First, he could feel a pull, a connection between them. It was weak like an overused or forgotten string that would always force him to seek the warlock's presence. It was limited, occuring only on the warlock's presence, maybe it needed a little help to really come to life, maybe it had been at some point, but the wolf could still notice it anyway. Second, he knew (or was confident to know) what Stiles' real first name was. Even though the man hadn't say it when Alec had question him about it a few days ago, Derek's first thought that time had light up in his head and never left.

"When do you take off the cast ?" The little wolf asked bringing Derek back to their conversation just as he had realized he had been able to mute them.

"I don't know... I'm just keeping it because Scott, Lydia and Malia drew on it. Look, Scott made a little smiling man with my old nickname... it's cute !" The warlock said showing off the drawing to Alec.

" _"_ My _name is Mischief !"_ You always had weird nicknames !" Alec laughed reading what was written on the cast.

"I couldn't even say my name properly anyway." Stiles mumbled still looking at the drawings with a fond expression.

Derek sighed imperceptibly, feigning to look at his book but actually looking at his own right hand. He was now more convinced of the emissary's real name and it was still so confusing.

"Well, I understand why you would tell your name was Michael."

"My childhood would have been so much easier." Stiles sighed dramatically wiping a faked tear at the corner of his eyes with his trapped hand. "Michael, Mitch... Dylan, Tyler... Rupert... there are so many names in the world."

 "By the way, what are those tattoos for ? Deaton had said that it was for control. But now, you must be able to manipulate your powers without them, right ?"

Derek had to suddenly fight his whole body to not lean in their direction to hear the warlock's answer. He had werewolf's ears, he didn't need to anyway, it was just a habit he had got to make himself look more human around the people who weren't in the know.

"Those runes are indeed for balance, stability, but also for healing, strength and protection."

"Protection ? Against what ?"

"Mostly... possession."

There was a silence, and Derek had to look up to see what the two men were doing.

"I know." Stiles added after three seconds whereas Alec was looking at him with concern. "The Nogitsune came after me before that. And it was probably because of my... true nature that it chose me. Maybe he felt it even though I was still... human. Demons are attracted to warlocks and witches when it comes to take over someone's body, and that's why every confirmed ones get a rune like this one." Stiles was showing the said mark on his body, underneath the layers, to Alec but since they were still sitting and the wolf was blocking the view, Derek couldn't see it. But it must have been on his stomach. "If our powers haven't ignite yet, we can't get any marks or it would kill us or make us loose our mind. Thankfully, my powers didn't show up when I was possessed or I would have made more damage."

Derek wasn't really concerned about Stiles' tattoos, or by Stiles' body, or whatever Stiles'. Really. He didn't feel the need to see the inked skin or... he wasn't interested in Stiles...

While he was debating about that, he was also thinking about that Nogitsune the others were referring to. It was blurry but his memories weren't completely erased. He remembered the chaos, the panic at the hospital, the onis trying to figure out who was not themselves anymore... But he wasn't able to recall the finality, in fact most of it. Just the beginning, a party at his loft with weird lights and paintings, and some quick flashes like an explosion at the police station, fighting Chris and tying him to a chair, fighting the onis, Aiden's death...

"And how many runes do you have ?"

"I don't know, they are mostly on my back, plus they are entwined so it's difficult to draw a distinction between each one of them... but I don't think it's more than 20."

"Okay... that's awesome ! But that must have hurt to get them ?"

"I was unconscious, remember ? I was drugged, completely out of it. When I woke up, I was on an island, in a room with a complete stranger, if I hadn't been able to hear his thoughts I would have freaked out."

"Oh yeah... well, you're lucky then."

Stiles mumbled something to himself and neither of the wolves were able to catch it, but before Alec could ask what he had said the warlock gave him one more random fact that made Derek laugh. "You know, "rune" in Germanic language means "secret"."

At the werewolf's snort the two young men looked at him with inquisitiveness. He wasn't even trying to pretend to read anymore, his book was closed on his lap and he was turned in their direction, one arm resting over the back of the couch.

"Oh sorry. Am I disturbing your study session ?" He asked staring back at Stiles who, for once wasn't averting his eyes.

"What made you laugh ?" Alec inquired very concerned on the subject.

"Ask Stiles, he can read minds anyway." Derek said bitter getting up to replace his reading on the bookshelf across the room.

They turned, following the movement, and the emissary whispered "Not yours." like it wasn't supposed to be heard and the older wolf decided that he had enough.

"You love secrets, am I right ? And I find it really funny to hear that the drawings on your skin are named "secrets". That's it ! You can't read my mind ? Why ? What did you do to me ? Why won't you let me remember ? You had no troubles with the others ! What are you hiding ?"

Stiles' eyes got really wide and for a moment Derek thought that he was going to yell himself, but he just grabbed his phone and keys that were lying on the table between two books and left the house quickly.

The two wolves tried to follow him but were punched by an invisible wall and the warlock and his jeep were gone. Alec stared at the empty spot Stiles' car had left in the driveway they had made in front of the house, and Derek kicked the chair Stiles was sitting on seconds ago.

"You shouldn't have lashed out like that."

"And how was I supposed to lash out ?"

"I mean..." The puppy really wasn't built for this kind of conversation, but he still tried. "I don't really know what happened... but I can still tell you what I know... before you start screaming at him again."

"He was supposed to let me remember ! Even if you told me what happened exactly, I wouldn't be able to fully understand or... My memory is filled with holes and blurry images..."

Alec turned around to stare at Derek who was still standing near the table, his right hand gripping the back of Stiles' chair like he needed support. Alec looked like a kicked puppy, his mentor had made flee his friend. "Okay. Fine. Tell me what you know."

They sat on the couch, Derek getting back on his spot and the little wolf, focused on his new old memories, started his narration.

"There was a rogue alpha. We had tracked them down to Beacon Hills when Stiles came back from Quantico, he had been on a trainship-"

"I remember the murders, yes."

"Okay, then on the fourteenth or fifteenth victim Stiles understood what it was all about."

"Kate."

"Not yet, but yes it came quickly after, the victim after the one that represented Stiles."

"Peter ?"

"Exactly. So... after the one that looked like Peter, the both of you understood that it was Kate Argent, but neither said it aloud and then you went missing and Stiles immediately knew what had happened to you.

"I went after Kate, alone."

"Yes. He was... furious and worried but then Lydia calmed him, they talked and when they were back, they knew what was Kate's plan and we were ready to track her down and find you. But then... It went all messy. We had formed groups and Stiles' was last to leave the loft and... I didn't really understand what had happened but Stiles came up with... a thought, an idea and went back to your loft and... after maybe ten or fifteen minutes Chris and Lydia found Stiles' phone in your bedroom and they understood that Kate had taken him too... And we finally found Kate's den, two days later, thanks to the clues Stiles had left in his phone."

"That's it ?"

"Not really. Stop being impatient." Alec said still focused on the past. He was not as talkative as Stiles, more than Derek, but he still needed to catch his breath and try to find what was really needed to be said for the older wolf to trust their emissary. "So... when we found you, Stiles was dying, he was... he had been tortured... there was blood... his wounds were deep... he couldn't breath... drowning in his own blood... it was awful. When we entered the room Stiles had been put into, you and I, it was after Scott who had begun to detached him from that sort of sacrificial altar he was lying on... and I stayed in the corner, the smell was just... too much. And Scott bit him and you yelled at the same time. I don't know why, but you didn't want him to bite Stiles. And then... nothing happened. And... what Stiles doesn't know, is that he actually died for... too many minutes. The ten longest minutes of everybody's life, we were all crying. We had got back into our cars, Lydia was driving ours, we were in the camaro with Scott. She sped up, then his heart started to beat again and we got to the hospital fifteen minutes or less later. He had also started to breath again. We were on the backseat, you were all around him, taking his pain and... Derek, you looked more miserable than Scott... who was a mess. And it wasn't even Kate's doing. Well, it was in a way, since she was the one to put Stiles in this state."

"What are you trying to say ? That I loved him ?"

"I don't know, you have always been very secretive, but at that moment... It was the only explanation I could came up with."

Derek's thoughts were wandering on his own memories, trying to fill the holes with what Alec was saying, he knew it could make sense but like he had feared, his mind was still fighting and would not let him put images on Alec's words. His werewolf's mind couldn't tolerate that it was failing. He was a supernatural creature, a born one, he wasn't supposed to loose his memories and never getting them back on his own. His healing was supposed to prevent even memory loss.

"Another thing that Stiles doesn't know about, is the fact that he was unconscious for three days. He had fully recovered from his wounds, he had been on surgery for his throat because he hadn't really healed correctly... But even after that, it was back to normal... but he was still lifeless. And... as I was about to bring you a change of clothes - because you had refused to leave his side - I was at the hospital entrance when I heard you scream. Not howl, scream, but it had the same effect."

Alec swallowed with pain, he was shivering at the sole memory of that sound and Derek had to touch his knee to bring him back to reality.

"And ?"

"When I came in... you had almost crushed your skull with your hands. You had pressed your claws into your head... and aside from your blood and pain, I could smell that Deaton had drugged Stiles... heavily. I didn't even know that he had came back from... wherever he was that time. He hadn't been around for months."

"And that's how Stiles almost killed me ?"

"Yes. And then Alan took him and asked me to inform the others and take care of you, saying that you would "probably not die"."

"And you don't know what happened exactly in that room ?"

"Well... Stiles probably got inside your head... but I don't know how he woke up. You've certainly done something with Deaton."

Derek got up from the couch and walked toward the window that was on his left, turning his back on Alec. That was not helping, he was confused. Folding his arms against his chest and closing his eyes instead of looking out the window, he tried to process the new informations. He tried to focus on the warlock's face and imagine him lying on a medical bed, or covered in wounds, dead... maybe he could triggered something. Maybe he would be able to remember without the emissary's help. But all he could remember about the sheriff's son lasted from just a few days ago. Stiles drinking milk directly from the bottle, spilling it on his beard, clothes and the kitchen's floor... Stiles being all gentle when Derek's started to freak out... _"Okay Wolfy calm down. You look like you're gonna explode... I'm here to help..."_ , it had been so easy that night to relax around the new guy even though nothing was making any sense...

"Derek ? What are you thinking about ?" Alec inquired behind him, worried about the chemosignals that the other werewolf was giving off : _stress, confusion, anger._

"What was my relationship with him ? You said that you thought that I was in love with him. Does he know something about that ?"

"Um... You were friends... I guess."

"You guess ?" Derek turned just a little to see his mentee's expression and then looked away to finally stare out the window.

"I haven't been able to see the two of you together myself but... I know that he saved your life many times." Alec answered getting back on his feet and starting to arrange his books on the table. "When we would talk before, you would very often tell me about what had happened in Beacon Hills before my arrival. And Stiles was always mentionned. How you got shot by Kate Argent in the arm and had almost made Stiles cut it off because Scott was being too slow with finding the kind of bullet she had used... or how Stiles had held you in a pool for two hours, because you had been scratched by the kanima while trying to protect him... or more recently, not in Beacon Hills, about two years ago when he got shot in the foot while helping you get out of a raid run by the FBI. Do you remember any of that ? Just a little ?"

Derek just frowned at the window like it was an enough answer whereas Alec wasn't able to see him, but his mutism did the job.

"Okay... well, I can tell you that you were fond of him at least, he would always get on your nerves, he is quite good at it, but you would miss him and talk about him when he wasn't around. And I think it was the same for him. And before you ask me, I don't know why Stiles doesn't want you to remember, I can just guess that it's because of what happened when you were trapped with him by Kate, or - or and - because of what came after at the hospital."

"So, when did they erased our memories ?"

"When Stiles came back a week after... his trip on the foreign island. You were still unconscious - Melissa had to put you on IV - but you woke up the instant he entered the house and then... you didn't remember him. And he left again, asking Deaton to erase our memories and to prevent you from remembering."

His memories hadn't been erased like the others, Deaton must have interrupted something in his healing process... In fact, the veterinarian would be able to undo whatever spell he had used... too bad he had left days ago. He had, in fact, probably left before Stiles' come back. Maybe he was scared of the warlock, maybe he wanted to hide something from him. Just as Alec had said, Stiles didn't know everything. He would be able to if he tried to dig in the thoughts of those who remembered but... Thomas had said that the warlock wouldn't get deeper if it wasn't needed.

"So the reason why he doesn't want me to get back my memories is because some of them would make me... sad ?"

"Those two events were really disturbing, even for an outsider like me. You're kinda stable now..."

"I'm stable ? He doesn't want to disturb me ? I have a failing memory, I can't remember most of the last few years, and now there is an emissary I don't know, who always says a lot of things but never acts on it !" Derek spinned on his heels to face Alec who had finished to put his books in the new backpack that Derek had bought for him. It was Alec's turn to frown, he was ready to defend his new mentor but Derek immediately explained his accusations. "He said that he would let everyone remember him, never saying that there would be an exception for me. And therefore he also said that he would help me regain my alpha status but he's avoiding me and-" He interrupted himself, he had so many things he wanted to blame Stiles for, but it was because he was amnesic and so full of questions. "And he still hides his scent ! He doesn't even leave any trace of him of the stuff he touches. That's weird."

"Oh, you're not missing anything on that last part. Stiles always smelled like anxiety, sometimes arousal, but mostly anxiety. I'm actually glad to not being able to smell him anymore."

"Anxiety ?"

"Yes. The breakable human, of course he would be anxious ! But it was more about the safety of the people he loved than his own."

"But... It was in the past. His smell must have changed now, he doesn't seem like the anxious kind of guy."

"Don't get fooled, Derek. Stiles never showed his emotions, always distracting us to never let us the time to read him. And just now, he left because he freaked out. You said it yourself, he hides things, it's his way to protect himself and those around him. And you should be more patient... let him realise that you need to remember everything even if it includes bad events or... other things that you might have witnessed that he's ashamed of... For now, just give him space."

"You seem to understand him very well. Were you always that close to-"

"I'm stopping you right now. I don't know him that much. The things I'm telling you right now are things you've told me before, I'm just repeating your words and adjusting them to our situation. Like when one time you told me to never judge the way Stiles would speak to you, that it was his way to talk to people and you didn't mind."

"Really ?"

"Yes. Always giving you weird nicknames for example, yelling at you or giving you orders. I was always shocked by it. But it wasn't disrespectful like anyone would think and I understood it myself. Really, I don't think he's trying to provoke you or anything. All the things he has done since Scott became a werewolf, was in order to protect someone. And right now, it's you."

Derek stopped his venting. Even if he really wanted to say more, even if he wanted to explain how it was impossible for him to let the warlock alone. It wasn't even a will, he needed to know where the man was at any time. At first, he had thought that it was in order to keep track of him, because the man was still a stranger to him, but now he knew that there was more. It was something deep down in his flesh, in his bones, that was telling him to watch over him, that he could disappear, that something could happen... It was vital. Maybe he had been in love with him... maybe it was because of that... maybe it was the reason why Stiles was reluctant to let him remember...

"I'm going for another jog." He said clenching his fists before getting through the door that had been left open and closing it behind him to make sure Alec would understand that he needed space too.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've recently found out that the TV show is based on a movie ! (yeeeah I know that I'm a little late to see that but...) "Teen Wolf" (1985), I've just seen the trailer and it's... I don't want to see it again, my eyes are still burning ! haha  
> But there is a thing I can't get over with : Stiles' first name in the movie was RUPERT ! Seriously ? Mieczyslaw is so much better now !  
> Is Rupert a great name in your country ?  
> Or Robert ? Because in France, Robert is an old name, it was my grandpa's name !  
> Sorry if your name is Rupert or Robert, I don't find it ugly, I just think it's more suited for old people ^^


	9. Miscommunication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sarcasm, awkwardness and... blood.

"Lydia, hey ! How are you ?"

_"Oh my god Stiles, cut your hair already ! And shave your beard !"_

Stiles touched his chin and jaw, he hadn't shave for three days and had thought it would stay unnoticed through the low quality of his webcam.

"Oh, I'm not growing it again, I swear."

 _"AGAIN ?"_ Lydia's eyes got wide, she looked like she had been betrayed or got stabbed in the back.

"Yeah ! It wasn't as furnished as Derek or Chris, but it was soft !"

 _"Okay... no... just no. Never. I don't want to see it !"_ She yelled but it was too late, Stiles had already sent her a picture with his phone and they both heard the ringtone a few seconds later.

"Don't be afraid, it's just me and... Wolfy."

Lydia looked away to stare at the said picture and frowned. Stiles couldn't see her face clearly in this position but it seemed to him that her eyes were a little more shiny.

 _"You look so cute. Both of you. Stiles-"_ She was getting emotional, she was smiling at her phone with fondness.

"Don't. Say. Anything. It was hard enough to come back to reality, every time."

She put away her phone on her desk and sighed before getting all serious.

_"Okay. But I have to tell you that Alec called me, and-"_

"Oh no. That little bastard." The warlock interrupted her again, mumbling to himself about how he would make him regret.

_"Come on. You have to do it. What is stopping you ? Did you... you know ?"_

"I don't know what you're implying right now and that's frightening. First, just to make sure we're on the same page, he was a wolf the entire time, every time... well, excepting the one with the witch of course... so-"

_"Oh no I wasn't... I mean... What I was asking was if you ever told him something... or done any embarrassing things."_

Stiles took a long breath, closing his eyes, images beginning to flash behind his eyelids.

"I've... I've done things, yes."

_"Okay... be more precise please ? What was the worse thing he witnessed ?"_

Stiles was about to answer honestly without making any jokes, but then he felt Derek's presence and took a look behind him, then out the window of his bedroom, but the werewolf was still too far away to get noticed visually.

_"Stiles ? Where did you go ?"_

"Sorry. Sourwolf is coming." Stiles said while walking back to his computer.

_"Seriously ? You can feel him coming ?"_

"Yes. Exactly. Are you impressed ?"

 _"Not really. But... does it work with everyone or only with him ?"_ She looked like she had something behind her mind but would never say it no matter what.

But it was too late to satisfy her curiosity or try to find out what she was thinking about, because the man in question had just landed in front of his window making him almost jump off his chair.

"Shit ! Seriously ? Can't you use the doorbell ?" He looked back at the screen of his laptop where Lydia was giving him judging looks. "Sorry Lyds, I gotta go."

_"Okay, but shave your beard ! It's only authorized for HappyStiles ! You hear me ? Only-"_

The warlock closed the Skype conversation with his friend to stare more properly at Derek with indignation.

"What are you doing here ? You couldn't call beforehand ?"

"I don't remember having your number." Derek retorted, his eyebrows pointed up for half a second, trying to look innocent.

But two could play this game. "But you still remember how to climb at my window without any warning."

The eyebrows frowned this time. It wasn't the best remark Stiles could have come up with...

Derek took his phone from the front pocket of his jeans and started to scroll through his contacts, it took a few seconds and then Stiles' phone lighted up and started to sing ' _if you're ready, heart is open, I'll be waiting, come find-'_ Stiles grabbed the buzzing thing that he had tossed earlier on his bed and shut it off. He was so embarrassed. He had so many ringtones, every number he had registered had its own, and it wasn't particularly awkward if the people ever came to find out which music was attributed to them. Unless it was Derek.

"Human." Said Derek whereas Stiles was panicking and blushing.

"What ?" He turn around to see what the wolf was doing, and he was still staring at his own phone.

"Your... Am I the one who saved your number ? Because I find it weird that I only wrote "Human" instead of "Stiles"." Derek looked up, and thankfully Stiles' blush had faded.

"Oh... I... I don't know why you named me that way. You already knew my name when I gave you my number."

"And... Deaton erased my memory and didn't bother to get you out of my phone ?"

Stiles' brain short-circuited. Alan had done a really bad job... Stiles had wondered why the veterinarian had left without greeting him back, not even bothering to announce his arrival to the pack... the man was probably avoiding him in order to hide something from the powerful warlock.

"Deaton is... Deaton. He's probably hidden somewhere hoping I will never find him and expose whatever he's hiding."

"He's just like you in fact. Hiding things. Not doing what he's expected to do."

"Come on. Cut me some slack. You don't know what you're asking for. There are really bad things that has happened. Even stuff that the others don't know anything about. Really, I swear it's not worth it."

"And my alpha status ? Shouldn't my memory be back to normal to get it back ?"

Stiles put his hands on his hips and bit his lower lip.

"Where is your cast ?"

"It was getting smelly and itchy." The warlock answered while pointing at the said object perched on his nightstand.

"How did you get it off without breaking it ?"

"I'm resourceful... plus I am magic... I figured it out."

Derek frowned again, looking back and forth between the intact plaster and Stiles' hand. He had a black sweater and his long sleeves let only his fingers pop out of them and they were drumming nervously.

"What's wrong with you ?" The werewolf asked getting back to the young Stilinski's eyes.

"Nothing."

Stiles was anything else but nothing. He didn't want to face Derek, he wanted to be near him, yes, but he'd rather stay in a corner and steal glances at him, than talk. He wasn't ready. Ready to expose himself. But the werewolf couldn't know what he was afraid of.

"Then what did I do wrong ? Do you have something against me ?"

"No. What ? No."

Stiles took a step toward Derek instinctively and immediately regretted it. The older man was analyzing his every movements with his kaleidoscopic eyes.

"You keep some things to yourself Derek, right ? You have secrets you wouldn't tell anybody, maybe because it's embarrassing or because it's... awful. I'm just saving both of us awkwardness and... resentment. Just... let me a few more days okay ? I'm already stressing over it enough. Everyone is pressuring me... okay ?"

The werewolf was staring at him, intently and Stiles suddenly felt extremely vulnerable. Maybe he wouldn't get away that easily. He could use his magic to quickly disappear, like he had already done at Derek's house three days ago, but it would only piss Derek off even more.

"I don't get it." The man said finally, but he didn't get to elaborate because Stiles' phone rang again startling both of them.

_'Running through the parking lot, he chased me and he wouldn't stop-'_

Stiles was both relieved and nervous.

"What ?" He said in the speaker turning around to avoid Derek's glare.

 _"Heey babe ! It's nice when you pick up !"_ Jason on the other end answered happily and sarcastically.

Jason was a warlock too, in fact he was the guy who had tattooed him while he was unconscious and the first face he had come up to, after being drugged by Deaton.

Stiles sighed loud enough for Jason to hear and then added a few more words. "What do you want ?"

_"Well, you know it's now or never and I'm sure you want this-"_

"Okay, I'll come soon. I'll call you later, in a few days maybe." Stiles interrupted him, because even if he wanted to make the discussion last as long as possible so Derek would maybe get tired and leave, he didn't want either him to know what they were talking about.

_"Great. That's a date then ! I can't wait to see you again !"  
_

Jason was very flirtatious with Stiles and was only half joking when he talked that way to him. Stiles was obviously not interested and Jason knew why, because no matter how he could get annoying, he was also a great guy, Stiles could consider him like a friend, but... he was a little grossed out by the thoughts he had heard in the guy's head when they had first met.

"Dude, I've seen you a month ago."

_"Yeah, but you were with your man who was glaring at me the whole time, and it was really quick ! We didn't even had time to catch up !"_

Stiles felt his ears get really warm because even if he wished it was true, Derek wasn't his man, but he didn't deny it. Jason knew already what was their relationship, it was just a shortcut to say "the man you're so obsessed about". Stiles cleared his throat and swallowed hard, he was even more embarrassed because he knew that the said man was listening to the conversation.

"Well, we will be able to talk next time."

_"Oh honey, you will scream, sorry. I won't be able to go easy on you, you took too much time-"_

"Then we will talk during the breaks okay ?" Stiles interrupted him again. "I don't have time to chit-chat with you. Bye."

He hung up not letting any more time for the other warlock to say anything else and turn around to see what Derek was doing. And he was, obviously, frowning. In fact he looked angry and confused. _"glaring at me the whole time"_ Jason had said. Stiles had already noticed it himself, but it was weird that Derek was still acting like this with just a phone call. He couldn't have been able to recognize the voice, because it was impossible for him to remember what had happened a month ago.

Suddenly the werewolf seemed to notice that the warlock was staring at him and tried to change his expression and get a poker face, but failed.

"What is it Sourwolf ?" Stiles asked trying to soften the atmosphere but the nickname made Derek's face more confused. The emissary bit his lower lip, he was doing a really bad job at reassuring the man, but then heard someone parking in front of the house and heard Liam's voice.

It was maybe a good thing, Stiles could hear not only Liam's but also Theo's, Mason's and Corey's thoughts.

"Sorry, they need my help." The warlock said before rushing downstairs.

The older wolf followed him and when Stiles opened the door, Liam was pressing a dripping cloth on his stomach while Theo was carrying him bridal style. Liam's face was livid, he was in great pain, his blood was dark, not black, but still too dark to be healthy. The warlock couldn't really understand what had gone wrong from the thoughts of the witnesses and the injured guy, but he still had to heal him before doing more investigation.

"Seriously ? I thought you had it under control !" Stiles yelled while gesturing to the chimera to put down the little werewolf on the floor.

"No, I'm not leaving him on the floor !" Theo said reaffirming his hold on Liam who was passing out.

"The floor will be easier to clean Theo, now let go of him before I make you to."

"What happened ?" Derek asked still behind him while the coyote finally obeyed.

Liam was now unconscious and Stiles lift up his hand with the cloth to see properly the wound.

Mason and Corey were too shocked to speak and Stiles too busy to answer so he pushed Theo out of his way and towards the older man, the werewolf received him and motioned him a few feet away to get his answer. "There were wisps at the high school... Stiles told us that they could be reasoned, when we called him earlier, but then-"

"Wisps ?" Derek asked.

"Will-o'-the-wisps." Theo clarified.

"We are in the middle of the afternoon, aren't they supposed to appear at night ?"

"That's why we were worried ! They began to appear on the lacrosse field and we had to do something."

Stiles stopped listening to their conversation and ripped Liam's shirt to reveal the damages. He knew something was wrong, those kind of spirit shouldn't have appeared in broad daylight for no reason, it had to be serious, he should have been there and postpone his Skype date with Lydia. 

"What's wrong ? Why aren't you doing anything ?" Mason asked crouching on the other side of Liam's body without letting go of Corey's hand.

"I'm not sure what to do actually... It's not just an injury... He doesn't seem poisoned either, those things can't do that but... That color..." Stiles touched Liam's blood with his forefinger and middle finger and then rubbed them against his thumb, "is not a good sign, the consistency is right though... but the smell..." he added bringing them to his nose.

"So... what ?"

"I'm going to heal him like it was a normal bleeding wound but... I don't know what will happened then... Since no one has really seen what happened exactly to him, I'm gonna presume that... he's possessed."

"What ?" Theo asked interrupting his explanation to Derek to go back to them and look at Liam like it would make more sense to him.

"I think that the spirit that hit him, is in fact, stuck in him. Will-o'-the-wisps are very unpredictable, not really dangerous, they can't really fight - in fact someone or something must be behind all this - they aren't supposed to even become a threat, they are pretty gentle most of the time." Stiles stopped talking even though his sentence sounded unfinished and then pressed the palm of his hand on the deep wound, a bright white light came out of it and Liam's whole body began to glow.

Everybody around hold their breath, it looked like the warlock had just purified the young man but then the werewolf's eyes opened and they were blue. Like the ocean shining under the sunlight, it was both beautiful and frightening.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs :  
> Sigma ft. Birdy - Find me  
> Melanie Martinez - Tag, you're it


	10. A lot of things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Liam is possessed, the wisp has things to say.

Derek was not angry, but he was not happy or even neutral either.

First, he had come to Stiles' home to talk with him.

He had heard him call him "Sourwolf" twice, even seen the nickname written on his phone when he had made it ring, like it was a thing... just like the name "Wolfy" that even the alpha Thomas had used before leaving their territory. He wasn't bothered by it, but it still felt strange to be given nicknames by the warlock. It was a friendly and intimate thing to do and their relationship didn't felt like it. Plus he had discovered that he also had named Stiles with a little sobriquet on his phone and by the time they had opened the door to Liam, Theo, Mason and Corey, he had come up with a few possible explanations behind that contact name. Maybe it was a get back for being called on his wolf and broody nature, "Human" because Stiles was human. Or maybe it wasn't even about revenge, maybe he had appreciated the nicknames - since Alec had suggested that Derek had been in love with the young Stilinski - but only a need to reciprocate the affection. Or maybe it wasn't anything of the above, but only Deaton choosing to change the contact's name instead of deleting it for whatever reason he had.

Then he had tried to bring up the subject of his lost memories and had been distracted by the lack of cast on Stiles' right hand and the warm black sweater he had said nothing about but still had a few questions about. Like : why was he wearing warm clothes when it was almost summer and everyone else was sweating in their T-shirts ? or : why wasn't it Stiles' size ? Was it from "his man" ? And then the distraction had come from Stiles' phone that had scared both of them a little. And Derek had got really annoyed by the conversation the warlock had had with a man he couldn't recognized the voice but still hated anyway. Their conversation had been clearly about planning their next date with very vivid sex references. Maybe they weren't talking about sex, but from what Derek had heard, it wasn't easy to not jump to conclusions, so while he was hoping to be wrong, he still felt very... not unconcerned about it.

And then Liam, Theo, Corey and Mason had interrupted them, which led to the second thing about what Derek was neither angry, happy or neutral.

The pack had encountered will-o'-the-wisps at the high school and called Stiles. Theo wasn't a high schooler anymore, but he worked there as a janitor. He hadn't warned anyone or explained why he had got this job, but it was handy to know that he could help the younger ones of the pack at any time, so Derek hadn't bothered him about it. And now he was being informed on what had happened while one of them was bleeding out on the floor.

And when Stiles had told them that Liam was probably possessed, the older werewolf had felt even more disturbed. Normally, he would have been the one they called. Normally, he would have been at least informed. He was feeling left out, replaced. But the feeling was nothing compared to seeing Liam woke up with unnatural blue eyes, even for a werewolf, sat up and talk with a low and emotionless voice. "We need you, warlock. I'm sorry for risking your beta's life, but when you didn't come to us, we didn't have a choice."

Stiles lifted his left hand and Theo who was about to talk, closed his mouth and then the emissary answered himself with a very diplomatic calm voice. "Well, I'm here now. You can now get out of this body so we can all relax and talk."

"Impossible. After our conversation you will have to destroy me or both the werewolf and myself will die."

Theo was about to walk toward them but Stiles' hand, which was still held in the air, made a little flinch and the chimera kneeled on the floor with a little whine of frustration.

"Okay... It must be very important for you to sacrifice yourself so I'll make sure that it will come worthy." Stiles said still respectful without detaching his gaze from the possessed Liam.

Derek and Theo couldn't see Stiles' face but from the tone of his voice, it was probably neither hostile or afraid. Mason had got up and was pressing his body against Corey's, both still shocked from the results of their little chat with what was supposed to be innocent.

"The nemeton has grown back, we need you to understand what is behind it. The forest and the telluric lines are all messed up. It doesn't feel right. Your pack should have noticed its powers, especially you, but there is an invisible barrier around it, we can't approach it."

The warlock didn't say anything for a moment, he might have been surprised. Derek who had been in the forest more often than ever in the past three days (thanks to his attempt at leaving the emissary alone) hadn't himself realised that something was wrong and he would have denied if anybody else but a will-o'-the-wisp had told him otherwise.

"Since... when-" Stiles couldn't find his words apparently but the spirit still understood what he was asking for.

"Yesterday. Before dawn some of us noticed an agitation in the forest. We didn't felt anyone's presence, excepting the Hale behind you and his beta..." Derek felt the need to intervene and say that Alec couldn't be his beta since he wasn't even an alpha but shut his mouth immediately knowing that it wasn't necessary to discuss it while they were apparently facing a new crisis. But he still wondered if Stiles would have let him talk or do something like he had done to Theo who seemed to still struggle to get up. "... but we can't know for sure if someone is behind this disturbance or if it's something greater."

"You said that it doesn't feel right, so it means that you're sure that... whatever is happening, is a bad thing, right ?"

"The nemeton wasn't supposed to grow back, it had enough energy as it was to attract the supernatural and all the disadvantages that come with it, but now..."

"The bigger the tree, the bigger the troubles... okay." Stiles finished. "Derek, since you live near it, and spend a lot of time in the preserve, did you felt anything there ? Or notice... even just a little change ?"

The warlock turned around to look at the werewolf who was taken aback, not only because he hadn't but also because the young man was addressing to him a serious voice and facial expression, even calling him by his first name. He shrugged, looking away not sure how to answer. He should have felt something, he had spent most of his days there, he knew every parts of the preserve... Derek was feeling more and more confused and insecure about the actual point of being in a pack if he wasn't even being treated as a part of it or even useful.

"Do you have any idea what I'm supposed to do once I'll go see for myself ?" Stiles asked and the werewolf had to look back at him to realise that he was talking to the spirit again.

"No. But if you need to, you can ask for our help."

There was a moment of silence were everyone around the possessed werewolf and the warlock held their breath, they were looking at each other without talking anymore and Derek could only see the resolve in Liam's eyes. They didn't seem to speak telepathically, but something was definitely happening.

"Okay... I'll do whatever is needed to solve this problem. You can... rest in peace... I guess ?"

"I'm sure you will succeed warlock, otherwise I wouldn't have come to you. You can destroy me now."

Stiles sighed, let his left hand fall back against his thighs and Theo fall face first against the floor.

"Mason, go get my knife in my nightstand. Corey, the jar of salt in the kitchen. And Derek hold Theo and don't let go off him until I'm done." The emissary said without breaking the eyecontact with the possessed werewolf.

"You need a knife ? Stiles, what are you going to do exactly ?" Theo said getting up and about to reach for the warlock still his back on them, but Derek obeyed and grabbed the chimera's arm and made him step back. "Damn it..."

He didn't try to escape from Derek's grip, so the werewolf choosed for instance to just hold the younger man's forearm and wait.

Mason rushed back from Stiles' room, almost tripping in the stairs, his right hand tightly wrapped on the handle of a big knife in its protection. It was the same kind Derek was used to see in hunters' equipment, unpleasant memories came flashing in his head as he gritted his teeth and looked away to see Corey handing Stiles the salt. Why did the warlock had such a thing in his nigthstand ? Was it a gift from Chris ?

Stiles made Liam lie down again and asked Mason and Corey to hold each of his shoulders pressed to the floor, the wisp still harbored a poker face, making the werewolf look resigned and Derek wondered if their friend was aware of what was happening. He didn't ask anything though and tightened his grip on Theo who was getting more nervous as Stiles open the jar and took the hunting knife out from its holster. The little werewolf stayed still, staring at the ceiling with still an unnatural and beautiful deep blue in his eyes.

But then, the warlock pressed the tip of his blade into the wolf's abdomen and opened him up again, possessed Liam flinched a little, tears falling down his cheeks, making Theo wrestle with Derek's hand. But he didn't let go and even get his other hand on Theo to ground him. Watching Liam's reaction, he knew what was going on. The werewolf was in pain, but the wisp which was in control of the body couldn't feel it, the tears were coming from Liam, the stillness from the spirit. It was desorienting, a lot of chemosignals were emanating from the pack around him, and even contradictory ones from the injured kid.

The cutting was both too slow and really fast and easy, but what came after was even more disturbing as Stiles put the bloody knife on the ground near him, took a big handful of salt and rapidly, before the cut could heal, plunged his fist into the wolf's stomach. It just took a second for Liam to finally react physically to the pain, screaming, howling, growling at the same time, and it took effort for all of them to not put their hands on their ears. Stiles' hand stayed in Liam apparently rummaging to find the wisp. Derek didn't know what he was doing actually, will-o'-the-wisp, as far as he knew, couldn't be grasped, they were spirits, but maybe the salt was doing something to it...

He couldn't eventually go see for himself, Liam was still crying out and Theo was still struggling to get to him and protect him, his claws planted on Derek's arms scratching him with no success. He could have get him out of the house if he hadn't wanted himself to see how Stiles would get a spirit out of someone's body.

When Stiles' hand finally get out, it was dark, pitch black with a dark smoke emanating from his tight trembling fist. Derek noticed a little too late that it was actually Stiles' whole body that was shaking. The warlock stood up on wobbly legs, turned around and passed right beside Derek and Theo without any words, signs or even a glance. But the werewolf had still noticed his dark, completely black eyes and the tears on his cheeks. Derek let go of Theo, who rushed to Liam whose wound was healing, and he followed Stiles in the backyard. He stayed in the open door and watched the young man's back, crouched on the grass taking slow and deep breathes as light was coming out of his hand.

The emissary was a lot of things, the werewolf could see that, not being able to feel it, his eyes were his only option to see through the man before him. His only way to trust a man he couldn't remember, a man powerful enough that the whole supernatural seemed to rely on him. A scary man.

Some hunters had started a war against werewolves because they had believed that no one should have been able to be stronger, faster, healthier... out of fear and envy they had chased them... but what would have happened to them if a man like him had showed up ?

Derek frowned at this thought and looked down at his boots. He thought about Monroe and her team, all around the world they had been able to attack, he had fight them for months with Alec, Braeden and Chris until Kate's murders had made him go back to Beacon Hills. But then, Chris had come one day, after the whole mess with Kate, saying that his sister was dead and that Monroe and her followers had been taken down too. He hadn't ask what had happened, too busy thinking about his failing memory at the time, but maybe it hadn't been Chris' doing...

"What are you thinking about Frowny Sourwolf ?"

Derek almost jumped backward, he hadn't seen any movement from Stiles' direction and now the man was standing in front of him, his hands tucked under his armpits like he was trying to get warmer and his eyes still a little shiny, but his mouth was trying to smirk but he couldn't buy it.

"Did you kill Kate ?"

Stiles' eyes widened and he swallowed with difficulties, the answer was clear enough.

"Monroe ?"

He looked away and got a little fidgety. "I have... other things to do." He then said before getting back into the house, making sure to not touch Derek in the process.

Stiles was a lot of things... a son, a friend, a warlock, an emissary, an FBI agent or something like that... and a killer.

Maybe "killer" wasn't the right terminology to describe his acts but... Derek was getting little glimpses of his facets, and he wasn't sure if he really wanted to dig more.

 


	11. In the unknown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #StilestheWarlock  
> Sorry but I don't think the chapter really needs a summary, I just want to warn that it's a quick one !

Even after releasing the will-o'-the-wisp in the earth behind his house, Stiles' hand was still shaking. Liam was alright though, tired, the healing would take a few hours, but it was better for him if the warlock didn't accelerate the process this time. He wasn't bleeding out anymore, the salt had been mostly absorbed by the spirit, rest was a better solution. But Stiles had other things to do so his trembling hand would have to wait.

Coming back inside, Stiles took the forgotten knife and jar of salt on the floor near the entrance and went to the kitchen, not worrying about the betas in his living room. Theo had made Liam lie on the couch and they were all around him. As for Derek, the young Stilinski knew that he was following and watching him, _intently_ , probably imagining the worst about him. The werewolf had asked disturbing questions that Stiles hadn't seen coming. How did the man had come up with these conclusions ? Not that he was wrong, but it was hard for him to even nod. He had done a lot of things since being a warlock, at the time it had felt good, but the aftermath had been violent.

Stiles placed the jar back in its place, then washed the knife in the sink absentmindedly. He wasn't proud of his acts, but he also knew that if he was proposed to, he wouldn't change a thing.

"What are you going to do ?" Derek asked in Stiles' back.

He took a quick glance behind him to know where he was exactly and maybe try to judge his state of mind. The werewolf was leaning on the doorframe, his arms crossed, his eyes piercing and his jaw clenched. Stiles turned away and shut off the water before drying his weapon on his jeans and setting it back in its pouch.

"I'm gonna go to the preserve and... see for myself."

"What about Liam ?"

"He's gonna be fine. You can all stay here until he feels better."

Stiles started to walk toward Derek who didn't move from the only path that could get him out of the kitchen and nearer to the exit of his house.

"What ?" The warlock asked tightening his grip on the knife with his still trembling hand.

"I'm going with you."

 

They were in Stiles' jeep, apparently Derek had come on foot. His hands tightly squeezed around the steering wheel, the warlock was nervous and tired and a little hot. In Derek's presence he wasn't feeling as cold as he was used to since being a warlock. He had already noticed that, but right now, in the close distance offered by the jeep, the mostly human could almost sweat. On the other hand, the werewolf beside him was as always very silent, staring in front of them at the road, but even if he wouldn't get inside his head or look at his face, he knew how guarded the man was. It was hard to ignore, impossible. Derek had never act, towards Stiles, that way before. Like he was a threat, capable of the worst and even betray. It was _very_ hard to ignore.

"Derek-" Stiles tried to say, but cut himself before getting any more words out of his mouth.

What could he say ?

He sighed, the werewolf was looking at him now, waiting. But he stopped his train of thoughts and preferred to talk about what was more important at the moment.

"When we get to the Nemeton, I'll need you to stay back. If anything happen... don't try anything... okay ?"

He couldn't look in the werewolf's way, he didn't want to see how hostile the man was.

"So... what ? If you fail and die, I... run away like nothing happened ?"

"I won't. The wisp said so. What I mean by 'if anything happen' is 'if it looks like I'm... failing' don't move. Don't try to get in the way, put yourself in danger... it will just go wrong for both of us."

It felt like the grumpy man wanted to protest but he still stayed quiet. And Stiles felt the need to add. "It's not that you're not strong enough... or that I find you useless, it's just something I have to do, alone, as a warlock. Okay ?"

"I feel pretty useless since you came." Derek remarked bitter.

"You're not." The warlock said immediately almost yelling, his eyes leaving the road for two seconds and frowned at the wolf beside him. "And... I'm pretty sure that I will need you to drive on the way back." He then added trying to lighten the mood.

"That's... encouraging."

 

When they got out of the car parked on the nearest path to the Nemeton, Stiles immediately sought its energy, and at first it felt normal, completely calm. Walking toward it, his eyes shut but seeing everything he needed to not fall, he was led by the telluric lines and followed closedly by the sourwolf, and then the said wolf asked. "Why is the sky getting so dark ?" and Stiles looked up seeing nothing and opened his eyes.

They were still far from the tree they were seeking, but the sky was indeed a weird shade as they were closing the distance. Stiles stopped walking and turned to look at Derek. They both frowned and the warlock had to think quickly before throwing them in a possible disaster.

"Can you hear anything ?" he whispered.

But he didn't need to get a voiced-out answer judging by the face he got in return. "I don't like this... Derek, I don't feel anyone else's presence, you don't, but I think someone's here. Waiting."

"Like a ghost ?"

"No. Someone like me... Don't get too close." Stiles said suddenly speeding his pace until he was faced to the invisible barrier the wisp had talked about. It wasn't that invisible, like a light bluish filter.

"What is it ? Why did you stop ?" Derek asked almost bumping into the warlock's back and still looking at the dark sky.

"If you don't see it, even with your wolfy senses, then it means that you won't be able to cross it." Stiles answered turning around to face him.

The older man had already flashed his eyes and was gritting his teeth.

"Look, I know you don't want to trust me and don't want to take your eyes away from me, in case I would do something bad... or stupid... but now you will have to stay here while I'll... do something probably bad and stupid. Okay ?"

Stiles wanted to wrap his arms around the werewolf, reassure him, tell him how much the man meant to him, how it was impossible for him to ever even think about hurting him... so much that he had to imitate Derek's favorite posture and cross his arms against his chest. For the moment, it was better to both expose the situation they were facing and planning what to do aloud. "Right now, from where we are posted, we see the unchange stump of the Nemeton. The wisps saw it standing again like the big tree it was before, but they couldn't go through the barrier. As a warlock, I can see the barrier but not the tree, as a werewolf you can't see neither, and both of us can't feel anything wrong with the energy coming from the Nemeton nor the telluric lines... and someone is probably in there... and I can't get inside their head."

"What if there is more than one person ?"

They stared at each other for three long seconds and Stiles bit his lower lip before clapping into his hands to give himself more courage and taking a step backward to get closer to the blue veil that immediately buzzed like a magnetic field. "Well ! I'll have to get there and see for myself !"

"Do you have a plan ?" Derek inquired uncrossing his arms and ready to grab him if he didn't like the answer.

"Don't get killed ?" the warlock said with a smirk and getting his hands into the pockets of his coat feeling colder as he stepped even more away.

The wolf's eyes got wider and then it was to late for him to act because Stiles had vanished.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In chapter 12 we will go back in time, I hope you didn't think that I was done with the unchronological chapters ! ;p


	12. Depression

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stiles is lonely...

It happened when Stiles was away. Being a little more than one month away from everyone he knew, without much distraction, made him go slowly into depression. It was to be expected, he was sad, had been for a long time, even before his last encounter with Kate Argent.

He hadn't yet been accepted as a consultant at the FBI, he had gone to an interview and was waiting for an answer. He didn't want anymore to become an actual agent, maybe because of his mood or maybe because he thought that it would be difficult to really meddle with his colleagues. It had been enough difficult during his internship even though he was still human...

He had settled in Phoenix, Arizona. He didn't like the town, it had been hard for him to find his apartment, before using Chris' connections and getting an apartment in the warehouse district. It was already furnished... for a hunter... in fact, it was a hideout and on his first day, Stiles had already found all the hidden weapons and relocated them just in case a previous tenant would have tried to do evil things with them. He hadn't get rid of them, he knew that eventually they could have been useful. And regarding the rent, Chris had already paid it for a year, so Stiles had choosen this delay to reflect on his future.

Even though the apartment was great, he didn't like it. It was too big for one person, too far from the FBI agency around 20 miles away which meant, with the horrible traffic, fifty minutes by car... too far from his pack, five hours at least because he couldn't take planes until he was fully able to control his powers...

While the apartment's rent was taken care of, Stiles still needed income for the utilities, his food and his car. Not actually his car, since Roscoe had died on his way out of California, right now he was using a rented car and Chris had told him that he would try to find him another jeep. Stiles was grateful about everything the hunter was willing to do for him and he was ready to do just whatever the man would ask him in the future but he was still feeling depressed. He hadn't even seen Argent since his sister had kidnapped and tortured him. He had only seen acquaintances of him and talked to him on the phone. It was great to have his number and connections, because he wasn't ready to call his dad or even Deaton or Theo, seeing a familiar face would have been helpful for his sanity.

He needed money but even more than that he needed to busy his mind. He stayed at home most of the time, reading magic books - since he had become a warlock he had to catch up on the time he had lost thinking he was human while the ones like him would have already prepare themselves for the time their powers would ignite. Or not. He had learned that lots of them would even take the risk to trigger their powers by, for example, experience near death situations even though it wasn't an exact science. Stiles had almost died, but it hadn't been the first time - he had already sacrificed himself in order to find his father and it had only left an open door for a nogitsune...

The depression would have at least been kept at bay if Stiles hadn't secluded himself for a whole week. He had spent one on an Hawaian island with people of his kind learning control and being tattooed for two whole days, and spent five learning the basics. Maybe it had been too short but he had wanted to go back to Beacon Hills, missing everyone and needing to see how was Derek... and immediately fleeing the town. Then it took him almost two weeks to settle in Phoenix, while trying to work for the FBI and then he hadn't moved from his kingdom of solitude for seven days straight.

And now he was feeling the lowest he could ever feel.

It would have been so easier to go back to his father and his friends, make them remember and continue to work at the sheriff station while being his best friend's emissary.

See Derek...

... at least one more time.

At the thought Stiles would always remember what happened at the hospital, the pain, the thoughts and Derek's scream, the sound of his claws digging his own skull... if he hadn't been a werewolf Derek would have died instantly, but maybe it had been because he was supernatural that he had been so much affected by Stiles' powers. The thoughts and pain of a hundreds of people had been so hard to handle and Derek was just too near.

 

 

_I will never go back. I can't. They will be better without me. I already fucked up twice. If something happened again because of me, it will be so much worse now that I'm capable of doing so much more._

_I have now tattoos that are supposed to protect me, I even learned that warlocks and witches were the favorite vessels for demons and that's why now I have a rune tattooed on my rib cage to never experience that ever again. But I'm still dangerous, even the drawings on my skin can be against my friends since they are made of mountain ash. I wouldn't have thought that it was possible, it's weird, my skin starts to buzz when I'm loosing control. I don't even know if my best friend would be able to give me a hug. I'm one of the rare person who needed to get so much lines on my skin that no one could tell me. Normally one would get two or three runes beside the one against possession, while almost my whole body is covered. Jason (the one who tattooed me) told me that I could ask him to erase everything in a year, that it would be enough for me to learn balance and in a more global matter being a warlock. I think that even the rune possession won't be needed anymore for me since my talent is mind control._

_Right now, I can't even control that. Even with the mountain ash. I hear my neighbours, people on the street, most are like incessant whisperers. Sometimes, I get focused enough to maintain silence for a few minutes. But I still don't get enough sleep, even though there is not so much people around me. I should be used to it by now. When I was possessed by the nogitsune, I had gotten a lot of practice. Even months later, I would stay awake several nights in a row because I was too afraid to sleep, to loose control, myself._

_I made a good decision by staying away from the pack. My mood would have impact theirs. Before they would often complain about my smell since I was always anxious. Anxiety, my second skin. Now I must reek more than ever. It's more than anxiety, more than sadness and fear. It makes me sick and apathic. I should try to find a spell to cover it, but right now it doesn't matter, nobody can sense it. I've isolated myself.  
_

_I feel lonely. But I don't want to see anybody, I'm too ashamed to show my face to someone. I haven't even call my dad yet, I just sent him a text when I got to Phoenix. But deep down I want cry for help. I want to hear their voices and talk to someone. I want to make sure by seeing for myself that my friends and family are okay. But I don't feel like moving or doing anything._

_It's funny how now that I'm ALL POWERFUL I'm unable to help and protect anyone. How uncapable I am._

_I'm USELESS."_

Two days after that note on his journal Stiles found Derek on his doorstep with no idea of how the werewolf had found him nor why no one had told him that he was missing or even acting strange. But the answer of that question, he was going to find it just a few days later.

Because it wasn't Derek.


	13. Rock, barrier, dagger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is an attempt of action and definitely blood ! 
> 
>  
> 
> <3

_"Don't get killed ?"_

Derek had just frozen hearing that last sentence coming out of the warlock's mouth, a sentence that shouldn't have ended with a question mark. Stiles had vanished immediately after that, right in front of him. Then, just one second later he heard a sudden shriek and the second after the young man reappeared, lying on the ground, unconscious. He tried to step forward and lean toward the man at his feet and met the barrel which was still on. And another second later, Stiles moved again, inhaling like he had been unable to breath for too long and wincing from the pain Derek suspected from his previous scream.

"What did you do to me ?" the warlock muttered trying to stand up but only successing in sitting.

Derek finally looked up and saw the giant tree, two men and a woman, all long blond braided hair on their heads, satisfied grins on their faces, standing by an altar made of rock, engraved with runes. They looked like they had been waiting for their arrival. All three of them were observing them with their pitch black eyes that Derek had already seen on Stiles but hadn't been afraid of. But now, he could feel goosebumps along his spine as the three persons before them, who didn't even bother to answer the young Stilinski's question, were just staring. They were wearing normal outifts not like Stiles with his sweater and coat, their clothes even showing skin. They didn't have any tattoos on them, the woman was in a probably short dress, but since her legs were hidden behind the altar, Derek couldn't confirm it, and the two men were in white T-shirts and khaki pants. They looked to be about the same age as Derek, maybe a little older.

After three long seconds of stillness from the three strangers, a struggling warlock to get up and a struggling werewolf to stay still. The two men walked toward them and quickly grabbed Stiles by the armpits and dragged him back to their magic rock where the woman was now holding a dagger in her hands that had been lying on the rock.

_"If anything happens... don't try anything... okay ?"_

Derek didn't move, what could he possibly do anyway ? He couldn't get any closer. But the warlock wasn't doing anything either. He let himself be dragged by the other guys, his feet trailing behind him lifeless.

_"... if it looks like I'm... failing don't move..."_

The woman was still staring at the werewolf with a kind of wonder on her face while her colleagues were tying Stiles on the altar, and Derek stayed put. Like the good doggie the snarky Stiles would have called him if he had been able to see him. His feet willing to go forward, his wolf to growl and bite... pressing his boots on the leaves and rocks, making them crack underneath him, his fists tightly closed trying to supress his claws from coming out but letting his eyes flash blue at the smirking witch, Derek gritted his teeth and waited for the warlock to finally do something.

_"...I know you don't want to trust me..."_

How could he even believe that anything would be alright when the oh-so-powerful-worldwide-emissary, seemed to have given up already ? He looked so powerless, human.

_"Don't try to get in the way, put yourself in danger... it will just go wrong for both of us."_

 Derek didn't know what to do, just a few minutes had passed but it was obviously going in the wrong direction. How could Stiles succeed against three other warlocks ? He was outnumbered. He was lifeless and tied up, his arms spread out inviting any kind of harm they would do to him. And they seemed more experienced, since they visibly didn't need any runes to have control of their powers.

"The famous Stiles, we thought that you would be more difficult to catch." the woman, who must have been the leader, said finally detaching her eyes from the werewolf to look at her prey.

"I love to surprise." he responded with lassitude in his voice.

"Really ? So maybe you will fulfil our request without putting a fight ?" one of the two men asked jokingly.

"I'm not that unpredictable."

"But you don't even know what we want."

"Pretty sure it has something to do with me being attached to an altar."

There was a silence, Stiles and the three warlocks were glaring at each others, and then Stiles lifted his chin the farest possible up to glance at Derek, from this angle, the werewolf wasn't able to understand that look, but he didn't get much time anyway because the witch sighed, and move around the rock to be on Stiles' right side, getting back the warlock's attention and with a wicked expression she said. "It's all about consent anyway, so I'm glad you brought the broken wolf with you. You see, my friend had made a terrible mistake by summoning you without knowing who you were beforehand. She died when all she was attempting to do was to get his unnotticed alpha energy-"

"Oh my god ! That dumb bitch was your friend ? Seriously ?" Stiles interrumpted her and got stabbed in the forearm with the dagger she still had in her hands. "Fuck !" he exclaimed in a scream and she let her knife in his arm.

"She was my best friend you son of a bitch." she almost hissed. "And thanks to her, I've found a more delectable target."

Derek's eyes were fixed on the object planted in the young man's appendage, as the witch came toward him.

"Hi, my name is Noah." she said, extending her hand and grabbing Derek's shoulder.

He hadn't realised she had an accent, he looked at her black eyes then fell immediately on his knees and blacked out.

 

 

"Why would you think that ? Excepting me, he's the most suicidal one of the pack. He's willing to sacrifice himself whatever the reason might be, if it's a good one.  I, myself, already saw him die a few times, maybe this time he won't get up again ! Try, maybe it will finally work."

When Derek opened his eyes again, he was lying down on Stiles' right who was saying those words. He was himself on another rock which hadn't been here before. He looked around him, and saw that he had been stripped off his T-shirt and a long slash on his torso was already healing, leaving only the blood to dry, maybe he had been woken up because of that. He tried to touch his skin but he was tied up just like the warlock beside him.

Noah had taken back her place in front of the altar, on their left was one of the blond guy who was holding a book, reading it, maybe looking for a spell that could help them. And above him, on his right was the other guy, a long knife in his hand. Derek tilted his head and realised quickly that it was Stiles', the one he had put in the inside pocket of his coat before leaving his house. He looked back at the young Stilinski and then noticed that the dagger was no longer in his arm but in his stomach. In fact a little higher, on his rib cage, in the middle of a rune. His coat, sweater, shirt and maybe another layer of clothing had been cut to reveal his torso too.

_"...demons are attracted to warlocks and witches when it comes to take over someone's body, and that's why every confirmed ones get a rune like this one."_

Derek immediately remembered when Stiles had got up to show the mark to Alec.

"I'm sorry, guys. You had everything prepared, you even succeed in making this nemeton a big magic tree and all. You even trapped me and my friend, but... you can kill us now because I won't give in. I gave in once, almost killing everyone around me, that's not happening again." Stiles said with no emotion. He seemed tired and fed up with the people around him. "Really, kill us. You won't get what you want."

In response, the guy next to Derek, stabbed him in the chest and made the werewolf coughed almost instantly blood, unable to breath correctly.

"Really ? You don't care if he die ?" the woman said while her colleague was twisting the knife in the wound.

The pain was unbearable, it reminded him of that time he had been impalled by Kali with a metal bar in his own loft right in front of his sister.

"He will die anyway. Whatever the outcome. Why should I care ?" Stiles retorted with a frown of incomprehension.

The man was still twisting his blade, with a sadistic smile. Derek couldn't make any sound, his vision going slowly black as he was loosing again consciousness. But then the guy pulled out the knife and the pressure was gone.

"Seriously ? You can't even do that ? Fine, let me kill him. Give me the knife and I'll cut his throat so quickly that you won't even have time to see it !" the sheriff's son yelled, looking deadly serious and sincere.

Derek's eyes widden, his autoproclaimed friend was begging to have them kill him ? And he was even willing to do it himself ?

They were all looking at him with astonishment, the werewolf was confused. Alec had assured him that everything Stiles would do would be in order to protect him. That's why he was refusing to let him remember traumatic events... that's why Stiles had been reluctant to let him go with him in the preserve today... that's why he had put himself between the foreign alpha and him during the meeting....

Without noticing it before, Derek had seriously believed all of it. He felt disgust overflow his body, he had been betrayed again, everything the man had said could have been a lie. Maybe he hadn't even been a part of the pack to begin with... maybe he had manipulate everyone's memory... maybe that was why they couldn't find Deaton, maybe the veterinarian was dead...

"Untie me."

The other blond guy, who was at Stiles' side, let his spellbook fell and pull out another dagger, and before anyone could ever react, he obeyed.

"What the fuck-" Noah shouted but was interrupted by the other man who screamed "He's got his powers back !"

And then everything went really _really_ quick.

Stiles took the dagger from the warlock's hand before he could realize his mistake, and planted it in his throat.

Keeping the weapon in his hand and letting the man fall on the ground, he then threw the dagger in the other man's direction, whose face winced from terror right before the blade got stuck in his forehead.

Noah screamed, falling back on her ass.

The other warlock was dead too.

The young Stilinski's face was impassive, even as he got the other dagger out of his rib cage to cut the ties around his ankles.

"Your friend..." he started to say as he got up to stand before the frightened witch. "... was dumb enough to summon someone she didn't know anything about... but you... You knew who I was, what I was capable of. You made your research. You've gone through so much trouble. Getting those two jackasses to follow you in your dumb quest. The nemeton to give you enough power to get this barrel strong enough to deprive me of my powers. And you never actually thought about the one tiny obstacle that would be me giving my consent ?"

Derek could only see Stiles' back, as he was leaning in front of Noah who stayed still and quiet.

"And all that for a demon ? Not even wanting all this energy for yourself ? You see... your best friend killed herself, I hadn't anything to do with her death... technically."

"Technically." the witch repeated with disbelief. "There was nothing left of her."

"So a demon offers you eternal life in exchange of something powerful and you just go with it ? You all just got the opposite."

The sound of a blade cutting deep in the flesh reached the werewolf's ears and Derek closed his eyes.

_"So... what ? If you fail and die, I... run away like nothing happened ?"_

_"I won't. The wisp said so..."_

 

 "Derek ? Are you okay ?"

He had blacked out again. He was now laying on the ground, Theo was above him, standing with the same tainted clothes he had previously when he was holding a blooding Liam in his arms. They were still in the preserve, and the nemeton was still standing.

Derek blinked a few times and sat.

"Where is everyone ?"

"In Mason's car, and Stiles is... destroying the tree I guess."

"He asked them to kill me. He was yelling at them." Derek mumbled trying to look passed Theo's legs in order to see the warlock.

"If he had really wanted to, you wouldn't be alive." the chimera said without any hesitation.

The werewolf got up, his head a little dizzy, he looked around and saw the three dead trespassers on the ground, his T-shirt near them soaked in their blood. He wanted to vomit. He then looked ahead at the bottom of the nemeton and indeed Stiles was there, reading aloud the spellbook, his back to them facing the tree. Leaves were starting to fall of its branches, hundreds of them.

"Wow." Theo said turning around to look at it himself.

And Derek took off in the forest before the man could stop him.

 

A few hours later though, when he was trying to rest on his couch after a long shower, while Alec, who hadn't been aware of anything, had decided to go see Stiles, Theo visited him.

"Derek, you should stop that. Doubting Stiles."

He was in the entrance, he had came alone, with his own car and other clothes.

"Easy for you to say, you never ceased to know who he was. And I still don't remember."

"He's just protecting you."

"He can't go on like this and he knows it. I have to remember him. The witch was talking about her friend who got killed... I didn't understand, but apparently something happened not long ago and I forgot since he was involved too."

The young man sighed, he wasn't objecting but he was still on Stiles' side. And it infuriated him. They had told him the big lines, how the warlock and him would always bicker on every subjects but had became close friends who understood each other more than anyone in the pack, how they completed each other. How Derek trusted Stiles and should do so even now with his unreliable memory.

Derek was about to get up from the couch to throw the chimera out of his house and lock the door, but as he sat, the man got closer and whispered like he wasn't sure if they were really alone.

"During the time he was away you were the only one who was able to see him... and on a regular basis."

"What ?"

"You know how every two months... you don't remember what you've done on the full moon ?"

The werewolf had never talked about it to anyone. There hadn't been other symptoms, nobody had report a wolf running in the streets, there hadn't been any victims who could have been related to his actions... so he had just thought about it as a meaningless problem he would solve on his free time... but then he had completely forget about, it had became a routine.

"How do you know about that ?" Derek asked standing up and Theo stepped back instinctively.

"It began almost two months after Stiles' absence. You were acting strange, restless and one day, you turned into your wolf and ran off. We couldn't find you for three days, until Stiles texted me to say that you were with him."

"The thing Alec talked about ? Him being Michael ?"

"Yeah. You don't remember because your wolf started to dissociate his memories of Stiles from yours."

"Why would I do that ?"

Theo looked hesitant about saying more. But it only took the crossing of Derek's arms to free his tongue. "Stiles said that your wolf probably wanted to help him protect his secret... and also to make sure that he wouldn't want to try to find you another anchor."

"Stiles is my anchor ?"

"Yes. That's why your wolf trust him even though you don't remember a thing. Thomas was wrong saying that he was manipulating you."

"I know that. He told me after that that he was lying. Plus Stiles said that he couldn't use his powers on me."

"Of course he can ! He just won't because of what happened before, he's been traumatised !" Theo yelled suddenly, getting all flustered.

He turned away and slammed the door, without letting any chance for Derek to say that Alec had already explain it to him too. But then he rushed out himself out of the house to ask one last question. "So every two months I was with him. What were we doing ?"

Theo had already settled in his car but still answered before putting it into ignition. "Oh man, that I don't want to know. Ask him yourself."

And then he was gone.

 


	14. Talk or die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It might be better for your sanity to know that this chapter is what comes after chapter 12...  
> So Stiles is in Phoenix.  
> (OMG I should probably do that every time instead of trying to make little and useless summaries o_o")  
> Enjoy !

Theo's text red **"Hi. I don't know if your dad or Deaton already told you but Derek is missing. He had been acting strange for a few days and then he turned into a wolf. And now he's missing, it's been two days and we think he left town."**

Stiles re-red the message for the third time and looked at the man who was talking to an old lady at the park. They had played basketball just a few minutes ago and it had been almost two weeks since the werewolf showed up on his doorstep unannounced. Stiles hadn't said anything to the others because Derek had made a good explanation about his presence. But maybe Stiles was too happy to see him to dig more. But now, he couldn't ignore that the man in front of him wasn't the person he pretended to be. So the warlock made the only thing that would come to his mind at the moment without scaring the people around them and the lady who was talking to fake Derek. He tried to get inside the man's head.

And the man disappeared.

He hadn't escaped. Or even looked like he had understood or felt Stiles' distress. He was talking back to the old woman and then he just vanished.

Stiles froze for two seconds and the woman did so. He had spent thirteen days with him. Living together, playing, talking, going out... they had acted like they had always been best friends. Derek had assured him that there was nothing to forgive, that Stiles hadn't been at fault for almost killing him, that he had felt Stiles' absence and had begged Deaton to let him remember...

But nothing was true. It wasn't even a true person.

Just an illusion made of Stiles' loneliness and sadness.

"Oh my goodness, where did your friend go ? He was there a second ago." the old lady said, looking everywhere around her and behind Stiles to make sure the man had indeed left.

The warlock was unable to produce any words or even use his powers on Theresa's memory in order to make her believe that the handsome man wasn't even with them to begin with.

He pointed his thumb over his shoulder, turned around and started to run in the direction of his apartment. They had walked for half an hour at least to get there, almost never getting turns. Tears were coming and after just five steps he was fully crying. But he kept running even when his vision got more and more blurry and two miles later he was home. Thanks to his abilities, safe.

Derek hadn't been really there, Stiles' uncontrolled and untrained powers had made him appear. And now the real one was somewhere in full wolf and probably in danger. The warlock hadn't (obviously) heard anything from Deaton nor his dad, Theo was actually the first one to tell him anything about the pack in weeks. He hadn't even talked to Deaton since telling him to erase his friends' memories, and his dad had only talked about small things about his works and meals knowing that his son would feel even more lonely hearing about his friends' doing. It had been a silent pact. Stiles would have to be the one asking for the real news. The distance had been easier hearing his dad's voice. He hadn't even talked to him about Derek's visit thinking that his old man already knew... but if he had, he would have found out sooner.

Stiles lied down on his bed, reminding himself the moments spent with his imaginary friend. He had felt so happy, he had even thought about leaving his job and his apartment, coming back. He hadn't really started yet anyway. He only had interrogated suspects twice. The FBI thought he was a mentalist, like the characters from "Lie to me" or "The Mentalist" TV shows. It was logical and he couldn't obviously tell them the truth.

His phone rang, it wasn't a specific song, not one he had choosen for someone in particular. _"Help me if you can I'm feeling down, and I do appreciate you being 'round, help me get my feet back on the ground. Won't you please, please help me?... And now my life has changed in oh so many-"_ Stiles was really tempted to ignore it, but maybe it was still related to Derek, he retrieved the phone from the back pocket of his jeans but it was work.

_"Hi Stilinski. We need you tomorrow. It's a murder, we have a lot of suspects because we don't even know the motive... it has to be unofficial and quick. Can you do that ?"_

"Unofficial ? You mean that we won't made the interviews at the FBI ?"

_"Exactly. There won't even be any interviews. You'll need to act with discretion. Talk to the people, do your thing and find out who is the culprit."_

If the man really knew Stiles, he wouldn't have tried to ask him to be discreet, but the consultant wasn't in the mood to point that out. He was still in the middle of crying and it was hard to not sniffle. He swallowed the lump in his throat and asked "Where ?"

_"I'll send you the info in an email. They think it's a gathering in the honor of the victim. Go give your respect. I'll send you a file too so you'll know who we are talking about, and maybe already make your own suspects' list."_

"Okay. What time ?"

_"8 AM."_

"Will you be there ?"

_"No. But Brad and Angela will be."_

"Okay."

_"Are you okay ? Your voice is... weird."_

"Yeah. I was just eating."

_"Okay... well... bye."_

"Bye."

Robert hung up probably not buying it but knowing that it would be useless to push. Stiles sighed and let his phone fell on his bed above his head, covering his face with his arms he focused on his breathing for a few minutes before moving again to get his laptop on his nightstand. He had watched movies on it the night before... apparently alone. How was it even possible ? They had even eaten together, the man at his sides had been real. They had played basketball ! It hadn't been just an apparition. The only thing that could come to his mind was that it had been a Doppelgänger but they were supposed to be spirits and more importantly not brought out from someone's imagination...

Stiles shook his head, wrapping himself in his bed's blanket even though he hadn't gotten out of his coat, and turn on his laptop to go through his emails. But Robert hadn't sent his message yet so he grabbed again his phone and typed an answer to Theo. **"So he's stuck in his wolf's form ?"**

The chimera's messages came immediately right after one another. **"Yes. I think he lost control." "We all felt that he was restless. He hadn't slept for days." "We tried with Deaton to see what was wrong. But Derek said it was nothing." "Then there was the full moon and Alec called us saying that Derek had transformed and wasn't coming back." "We found him almost out of town. And he was supposed to stay still until we found the problem." "But it's been 2 days now and we lost his track."**

Now Stiles understood why Derek prefered calling instead of texting, but he still typed his answer. **"Did you try anything with Deaton before his shift ?"**

**"No"**

**"You talked to the others ? Did they try anything ?"**

**"We did absolutely nothing. Derek didn't even want to admit that something was wrong maybe he would have told you what it was about. And Alec was by his side anyway so we thought that we could have handle it if something were to happen."**

It was clear that Theo was anxious and frustrated, Stiles felt like the words were screaming at him and it was even more hurting to see them saying that maybe him being there would have been better.

 **"Sorry"** said Theo's following text, the chimera had probably realised what he had just said or maybe it was for loosing Derek and asking him for help after not even two whole months.

**" Don't apologize. Whoever finds him first will tell the other okay ?"**

**"OK. Thanks"**

**"Bye"**

**"Bye"**

Stiles hadn't any idea how to find an uncontrollable werewolf. He didn't even know if it wasn't someone else's doing. Kate ? Monroe ? The warlock was at a loss himself, he had been fooled by his own mind and had even made people see someone that was actually somewhere else. He had been using his powers without knowing. Maybe it had been why he had felt more focused ? The whispered thoughts of every persons around had been shut for those past few days and Stiles had figured that maybe the werewolf was his anchor. But it must have been because his energy had been focused on filling a void for his mental health...

How could he be of any help right now ? His eyes were swollen, his mind a fucking mess and now he had even an event to attend the day after for his work.

He tried to think about both matters but he had no clue where to begin with the werewolf's one whereas his assignment from the FBI was actually just reading a file that had appeared on his screen. And even though the wolf meant a lot more to him, he wasn't ready to look for him yet.

He wouldn't be recognised and probably get attacked anyway.

 

 

The hotel was near enough Stiles' building for him to get to it on foot, a twelve minutes exactly walk. When he arrived at 7:45 AM, he was supposed to meet the entourage of the woman who had been murdered. His colleagues were already in waiters' uniforms and playing their roles among the morning birds, so he didn't try to chat with them as he was waiting for all her potential murderers to come. Stiles hadn't received the FBI's list of suspects, probably because it was too long and not really fond on anything since they didn't know the motive or because they didn't want to influence his help, but it didn't matter Stiles would get inside everyone's head if he needed to. But he was really tired and cold. He hadn't slept at all, just lied on his bed all wrapped up and wide awake trying not to think too much about the lost wolf. He had been on the verge of falling asleep many times but had woken up every time believing he had heard a howl...

The warlock was sitting on a bench, the meeting room looked like a large corridor, a few armchairs and benches were disposed along the walls and a long table was covered in beverages and canapés, but his eyes were focused on the carpeted floor which was almost black with white seedheads of dandelions and their little parachutes drifting through an imaginary wind. He could have stared by one of the multiple bay windows, but those fluffy seeds were strangely appeasing him. His arms crossed against his chest, his fingers playing with the soft fabric of the black sweater he was wearing, while his coat was resting on his thighs to keep him warm... maybe he was trying to make a wish or maybe he was just astonished by this selection of interior design in a luxury hotel, but for a few minutes he was lost in it and soon he was surrounded by new faces. So Stiles started his work by firstly turning on the dictaphone, the FBI had asked him to get for his insternship months ago, which was now in his coat - that he had now put back on - to register every conversations he would have and possible confessions.

The victim's name was Catherine Bauer, american mother and german father. A woman who had a lot of rivals, her enterprise would be inherited by her ex-husband, Alaric Fleisher, fully german and actually living in England. No children, never wanted to, probably the cause of the divorce since the ex-husband had remarried and got two kids who were now 3 and 5. Her company was more known than herself for its recent scandals that were still waiting to be certified.

He hadn't really lean on the subject, the references were pretty blurry since an investigation was still occuring, and Stiles wasn't sure given all the facts that he would understand everything anyway. Something about fraud and market manipulation from the investment bank that had helped her create her enterprise. A successful company which was supported by lot of anonymous people and its only purpose was to secure or erase private informations on the internet.

Stiles knew enough to pass as an employee or just a friend, he hadn't decided yet. The woman was forty and it would have been hard to justify their friendship when he wasn't even twenty yet. But then he caught a young woman's attention, just two years older than him, he could hear her thoughts and they gave him another idea. She walked toward him as he was finally standing up and she smiled at him. "Good morning. I suppose you're here for Catherine's memory ? How did you know her ?"

She was Catherine's assistant, she wouldn't believe Stiles was working in their company, Ava knew _everyone_ , plus being a huge gossiper and already making her own assumptions.

"I was her lover. Actually we were more like sex friends but we were really close." the consultant said with a little smile and since he was really sad and sleep deprived - even it was for an other reason - she totally bought it.

Ava - who hadn't introduce herself while Stiles already knew everything about her that was necessary by the time she had stopped in front of him - turned around with an awkward smile and walked away. Maybe it wasn't really a great idea, after just a few minutes, as he was walking among the people to get to Angela, the warlock could feel almost half the people watching him.

Even though there was a buffet, the false waiters were here to refill, clean and take orders from the picky eaters who didn't want anything from what was displayed in front of them. Who was paying all this ? Stiles wasn't really interested in the matter but still enjoyed asking his colleague to give him a coke. And when she came back, serving him like a pro, Stiles winked at her to ease her mood. Angela wasn't nervous but Brad, who was on his first mission, was and it reflected on her.

"Thank you, miss. What's your name ?" he said all flirtatious while he was focused on the last newcomers.

"Angie. What's yours ?" she said smiling back her brown eyes wide with anticipation, but staying professionnal.

"Bond. James Bond. Thank you this delicious and healthy beverage."

She snorted involuntarily and ducked her head making her ponytail of black curly long hair hide her smile and he walked away with a little wave towards her.

People arrived until it was the actual time to begin the fake ceremony, 8:30 AM. Catherine's death had been officially declared as accidental but someone had actually pushed her from the stairs she had fell from, it was the only explanable reason she had fell like she did. And Stiles' adventure with her had already gone through all the ears by almost 9 AM. People were chatting with him, not directly asking anything about it, just trying to figure out how they had met or how old he was, if he was a student or a working adult... Even his coworkers had heard about it and had had to fight against laughter.

And Stiles was still waiting to find the culprit who didn't seem to be present. People had take turns to talk about her, half of them had been focused on the new scandal, while saying cheesy stuff about the dead, wondering if he would make a speech too. He had talked to almost everybody, making up some new facts about their fake relationship and was really exhausted. He had gotten new informations from his talk and maybe he wouldn't have to meet the murderer to solve the case.

It was almost 9:30 and he was getting annoyed by the whole thing when he heard people yell about a wolf trying to get inside their room. Stiles immediately saw a big black wolf in a few people's mind who could see it through the glass doors, while a man on the other side was blocking it with his body, so he runs towards them. The animal was trying to push it open with his paws, not threatening or afraid at all, looking like a really well dress dog and Stiles shouted to everyone's attention. "It's okay ! Everybody calm down, it's not an actual wolf. He's half-breed and he's mine ! His name is Wolfy !"

Everyone relaxed but still looked at him like he was insane for having such a huge dog, but he ignored them making the man who was blocking the way step back and pulled the doors to help the "dog" and the animal jumped into his arms. He only had time to kneel to be on the same height when the wolf hit him hard and started to whine his contentment, waving his tail furiously and licking his face. Stiles really wanted to cry, tears were betraying him but quickly disappearing thanks to Wolfy's tongue. People were looking at the warlock and his big scary dog on his laps, caressing and hugging the big ball of fur and saliva, and his heart felt lighter. He actually felt all the tension he had built up for nearly two months go away. The fake Derek hadn't even been able to do what stuck wolf Derek had in just a few seconds.

"I'm sorry, sir. But animals aren't allowed here." The security man of the entrance remarked and Stiles amost burst out in laughter knowing the man had let the wolf push the revolving door with his head, too afraid to approach it, but still following the animal in the stairs till their floor.

"It's okay, I was leaving. Thanks for letting Wolfy come all the way here." Stiles smiled and got up with Derek in his arms with a huff, even if he weighed probably more than 150 pounds, he would never let go of him.

But once he was out of the hotel, Stiles had to put him down to turn off the dictaphone and send a text to the undercover agents, Robert and Theo. Wolfy stayed glued to his legs and didn't move, forcing the warlock to stay still when he was typing on his phone. However, he hadn't touched his dictaphone because right after getting out of the hotel he had caught really violent thoughts towards his self and stopped the motion of getting the machine out of his pocket immediately. It took him about twenty seconds to send a text to his colleagues and post-poned the one adressed to the chimera. He had sent a group text with the strategy that had popped in his head in it and crouched to scratch the wolf's ears. 

"Okay, now you will follow me. I live nearby, it will only take a few minutes. Don't worry, I got this." he said with a reassuring smile because the wolf would definitely realise they were followed by a potential threat, then he kissed the wolf's forehead and stood up again.

They walked side by side, people were looking at the animal with confused looks, wondering if it was an actual wolf, lots of them deviated from their paths to make the more space they could between them and the wild beast, and it actually made it easier for Stiles to come back to his building quickly. And the walk was easy since they had to take just two turns and people were getting fewer and fewer. In fact the area he was living in was pretty desert and the warlock was ready to get assaulted at any moments.

They were in front of his building when the man finally caught up to them and asked Stiles the hour and he had to turn around to face the murderer. He tried to hide his annoyment, he knew the man had a phone in his jacket and a watch on his left wrist... plus the man already knew the hour anyway.

"9:46."

The wolf, who must have been too focused on the warlock before, suddenly started to get agitated and Stiles looked down and shushed him but when he stared back up at the man, Martin had pulled out a knife. It was really discreet even if no one was around, the former human would have probably missed it, but being in the head of the opponent he could already know what would happen.

"Follow me." Martin said with anger in his eyes.

The man was the actual lover of the victim. Possessive. Obsessively jealous. Violent. But really sweet on the outside. Martin had suspected infidelity from Catherine but it was clear from everything Stiles had learned about her in a few hours, that she was just a really busy business woman. And now the man had heard the rumor, he had finally found out who his partner was seeing on his back while pretending endlessly that he was just paranoid, and then had came rushing to the hotel to get this infidelity really over. _It was bullshit all along, she was with him, sleeping with this little bastard. How old is this motherfucker ? Twenty ? She was such a bad liar ! She even got herself a loverboy !_

 _Loverboy ?_ Stiles asked himself with indignation.

"Did you not hear me ? I told you to follow me !" Martin said coming closer, ignoring the wolf's growl.

"Wolfy, calm down. I'm just gonna discuss with this man. Stay still." the warlock said nodding his head and showing a secluded area on the right of his building where was the parking lot.

But really, they didn't need to go that far, they were the only people around at this hour. But Martin had thought about going there, near the dumpsters so all he was left to do was to nod back. Stiles bend a little to whisper in the wolf's ears. "Just wait for my friends."

Martin was too satisfied to even care about what he was doing, the loverboy was following him the second after anyway.

"By the way, my name is Stiles. And you are ?"

They were walking to the shown emplacement side by side, the knife still out but dissimulated under a long sleeve. Martin was the same height as the warlock, probably just a little bit taller but not enough to be noticed.

"Martin. I'm Catherine's fiance."

"Was." Stiles corrected him instantly and the man tilted his head thinking _Oh yeah... was._ Like he had just forgotten what he had gotten for diner the night before.

They were at their destination and the human took Stiles by the collar to push him and made him collide with the wall on their left, right behind the clusters of trash.

"And whose fault is that ?" the killer asked and started to press the tip of his knife against Stiles' stomach through his layers of clothing. The man didn't care about having to double his efforts at stabbing someone...

"Please don't ruin my coat, I love it. It keeps me almost warm. Plus the sweater underneath it is not mine and it's really precious to-"

"Shut up ! What's wrong with you? You're not afraid to die ? I'm threatening you with a knife and all you think about are your clothes ?"

"Don't judge me on my priorities ! I didn't when you're started to stalk me on the street, maybe you were just too shy to hit on me like a normal person !"

"What ?"

"Why did you kill Mrs Bauer when you didn't even know for sure that she was unfaithful ?"

"She was ! Look at you, parading and talking about how you were her fuck buddy to everyone ! Can you imagine how I felt receiving a group mail with your photo attached to it saying _'Catherine had actually time to enjoy life with this loverboy!'_ "

The mail said _'cutie'_ but Stiles wouldn't correct him when a blade was threatening to hole its way in Derek's black sweater.

"Relieved ? Killing someone on just suspicions must have been really hard to decide."

"It was just a matter of time. She was about to make a mistake and expose herself." Martin hissed affirming his grip on Stiles' collar almost choking him.

"The... only mistake she did was to fall in love with a psychopath. Did you kill your other girlfriends or was she an exception ?"

Stiles' obviously knew already the answers of all his questions but, they were on record, he needed everything he could get for evidence and it was also a way to save time.

"No ! They left me, they all admitted, they weren't like Cat."

"They admitted infidelity to get rid of your accusations and your sick jealousy. It's not because one of your exes were an actual cheater that those who came after were the same."

"What are you even saying ? You were fucking with Cat ! When I confronted her she would always say that she was at work !"

Stiles could feel the sharp point leaving a bruise on his skin through the fabrics and hoped there was no hole. And then when he was about to push the man away, having registered enough with his dictaphone, he saw movements behind the man and smiled.

"She was at work. If she said so then it was the truth. You should have believed her every time she told you that you were the only one in her life. Of course she was busy, her job wasn't easy with the scandals and all. She would never have the time to be in a relationship with both of us. I'm also a lot to handle, very clingy. But how could she know about it when we didn't even know each other ?"

The consultant saw a black furry thing pass right behind Martin and before any of his colleagues could yell orders while gathering around them, he put his left hand on his opponent right wrist and pushed it away and twisted it to make him drop his weapon.

"You see, I'm just here to solve a murder." he explained when Robert started to handcuff the man and read his rights, and then straightened his clothes to inspect them. "Thanks, you didn't ruin them." he smiled to a confused and angry Martin who frowned at him.

Wolf Derek started to rub himself against Stiles' legs to get his attention and affection that he received immediately. The warlock crouched again to scratch his ears and collar. "Come on, Fluffy. I'm alright, I wouldn't let him do anything to me."

"I thought his name was Wolfy." Angela said coming in their direction to take the suspect from Robert who wanted to talk to Stiles before their leave.

"He has _many_ nicknames, it depends on my mood... and his."

She just shook her head. She didn't actually care, she just wanted to come closer to check that it was indeed a wolf and to her surprise the wolf was even bigger than the ones she had already seen. "Nice _dog_ by the way !" she yelled not buying the half-breed bullshit. And Stiles thanked her anyway.

Robert put himself between the crouched man and the woman who was walking away with Martin, his blond brows raised way up on his forehead in disbelief. "Really ?" he put his phone out of his pocket and red " _ **'No murderer in the ceremony room. I'm going home. BTW the actual culprit is following me now, he was running late and noticed me. Probably wants to kill me. Xoxo'**_ What was that ?" he screamed with his phone now directed to Stiles showing him the text he had sent them a few minutes ago.

"It's pretty clear. I'm not sure what you want me to say." he feigned innocence still carressing his pretend dog.

"When a man is following you, you have to ask for help and not deal with it alone ! He had a fucking knife !"

Robert was reminding Stiles of his father, a little younger but still, and felt tears pricking at his eyes, the angry concern of the man's face was adorable and he wanted to tease him more.

"And I'm not injured. I even made him drop the weapon. And he didn't try anything else."

"Okay.... well, can we talk about that huge wolf then ?"

The consultant followed the FBI agent's eyes on his fluffy friend and smiled with all his teeth, like a kid asking their parents if he could get a pet.

"He's well behaved, won't attack anyone unless I ask him to. His name is Wolfy. Wolfy this man is Robert, he's kind of my superior."

"Not 'kind of', I'm your superior." Robert corrected with no longer anger in his voice, just a little annoyance like any person who knew a little the young Stilinski. 

The wolf looked at the man for just a second and shut his eyes again appreciating the warlock's touch.

"How did you end up with a wolf as a pet ?"

"It's a long story you don't need to know and he's not really mine. I'll have to take him back to his... territory. I'm just keeping him for a few days."

The agent was more confused than ever but gave up and left both of them on the ground.

"Wait !" Stiles shouted at him, getting up and taking out the dictaphone which was still on. He stopped the recording and then hand it over to him by throwing it, catching up the few meters between them.

"Oh yeah... thanks by the way."

And then the mostly human was left alone with the full-wolf werewolf. "Okay. So... I don't really know if I can bring animals into my building. There are a few people in it right now. But since you're a wolf the answer is not actually needed. So now I will put a charm around you so you can get invisible to the people we may walk by. Okay ?"

 

Ten minutes later they were in Stiles' apartment and the warlock let himself fall on his bed with a big sigh. The wolf settled immediately above him and rested his muzzle in Stiles' hair. The young man was staring at the ceiling wondering what had happened to the werewolf. Feeling warm and about to fall asleep. He hadn't had the time to spare a thought about the matter since he had seen the wolf coming to him, but now it was the priority.

Fumbling his fingers in the fur on the wolf's ribs, that were maybe a little too apparent, he sighed again and started to whisper. "I can sense that you're not yourself... your entire self right now. That you're Derek's wolf. Is human Derek okay ?" he tried to look in the wolf's eyes but from his angle it was impossible and the wolf wasn't lifting his head from his hair so he just closed his eyes and inhale, focusing on Derek's energy, he wasn't going to try to get in his head. Though he was sure that this was indeed Derek and not his imagination or something. He could feel a connection between them, maybe the connection of pack, friendship... or just the feelings that would probably never vanish... and he felt so _warm_ that he really needed to get at least out of his coat.

He started to wriggle to get the wolf to move. "Come on baby, I'm too warm now. I just need a few seconds and you can do whatever you want after." Stiles pleaded as the wolf started to whine his disagreement. But after just a little more whine and an actual sigh coming from the wolf, the warlock was released. And when he lied down again, the wolf retrieved his place and settled in the same position. So relaxed and content. Stiles was feeling the same way.

"Do you recognise the sweater ?" Stiles asked in a whisper, his eyes closed focus on the wolf's breathing. He wouldn't get any response, the wolf was on the verge of sleeping. "It's yours. When Deaton took me out of the hospital, he took the change of clothes that Alec had brought you. He had left me a note... to explain quickly. I still have them. The pants were obviously not my size. And... I'm not ashamed to say that I didn't hesitate to put your boxers on. We are the same size. I still have them, but I only wear the sweater now, it... calms me." Stiles frowned, his eyes still closed. "You must be my anchor, I didn't know I needed one... and I'm yours. That's why you were restless, I was too. I'm sorry. If I had known earlier... I would have done something... to prevent that." And then he fell asleep and Wolfy followed him a second later.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song : Help! - The Beatles


	15. Reaching the limit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the following of chapter 13
> 
> Stiles and Derek talk... but a lot of things are left unsaid.

"Baby ?"

Stiles was trying to fall asleep for about an hour. He was exhausted, _really_. But his mind wouldn't shut up. Every time his eyes fell shut he was reminded of Derek's agonising sounds by his side in the preserve. And the pain on his torso was twitching with his every moves. He should have healed by now, but maybe he was too tired and out of magic. Making the nemeton shrink back to his previous state had asked him a lot of energy...

But it wasn't only that. Even the small things felt overwhelming. Like the ruined sweater Stiles had been wearing... It had been his cocoon for one year and half every time he had felt miserable. And it had been often. And now it was gone. He had destroyed it with the bodies... another thing that had drained him out of his energy.

Or the betrayed look on Derek's face when he had started to shout how he would kill him himself if they didn't do it...

He had opened his window, ignoring the cold, he knew already that it wasn't coming from the outside anyway. Something was wrong with his body... being away from his anchor always made him shiver with no other explanation...

He knew he should have done something, at least talk to Derek to reassure him that he had never the intention to get him killed. That he knew he had to make him remember, that it was needed but... he was afraid.

And fed up of his own mind that was always thinking and overthinking restlessly and that it would always end up being about Derek. No matter what was happening, even being away from the pack and handling other packs' troubles, he would always at one point on his train of thoughts think about him and miss him.

But now, he had heard the significant noise of a wolf coming through his window, suddenly remembering that it must have been the full moon, like the last time with the witch... but the second he had laid his eyes on the animal, he had regretted calling it "Baby" on reflex. It was the full moon, indeed, but it wasn't just Wolfy. The werewolf wouldn't probably need him anyway since they had seen each other many times for the last few days.

"What are you doing here ?" Stiles asked. He had jerked up and sitted straight, sending another horrible pain through his ribs and flesh.

Derek had clearly a question to ask, however he had decided to come as a wolf... and the warlock was already making all kind of scenario in his head. But then he changed back to his human form and Stiles had to look away, hiding the naked man with his hands from his peripheric vision, killing two birds with one stone by also covering his blushing face.

"Oh my god ! What are you doing ? Put something on yourself, jesus !"

"From what I've heard, you should be used to it." Derek said in a flat tone making the mostly human attempt a look at his facial expression.

The warlock's first thought had been to translate his remark instantly as an insult, implying he was loose and had already seen lots of naked people. But it wasn't his style to point out things like that. And since it wasn't true, the werewolf would have never believed it when there was no proof. "What do you mean ?"

"Every two months my wolf visited you." Derek said his eyebrows raised in defiance to any contradiction and still not making any move to seek for clothes.

"Theo." the warlock muttered looking away and focusing on the closed door. "It doesn't mean that I have seen you naked before. So please... I have sweatpants so put one of them on... at least."

The werewolf still didn't move.

"I'll answer your questions if you hide your dick away from my eyes Derek."

He could still feel his burning ears and wished to just go back in time and fall asleep before he could think about opening his window. But the werewolf eventually complied and walked to Stiles' bag of clothes which was still on the floor - because he hadn't really settled back yet and hadn't got back all his furniture - and found what he needed in no time. Stiles could finally relax, but not for long.

"Why did you call me baby ?"

The young Stilinski sighed, looking at his open palms now on the sheeting and shaking his head, fed up. "Wolfy, Fluffy, Baby... that's how I called your wolf, when we would meet every two months." _Derek would have been too painful._

"Stop hiding your scent."

"That's not a question."

"That's a demand. I wasn't even able to smell your blood. Nothing. How do you do that ? You were powerless."

"It's a spell that wears off only if I break it or die."

He didn't want to look at Derek even though he was now more decent, even when the werewolf approached and his legs were touching the sheets at the bottom of the bed.

"Is that all you-"

"What did we do then ? On the full moons, and why was it one on two ?"

"Nothing... the first time... I was working and you showed up. And..."

He didn't want to say more, something had actually happened on the very first time but he didn't want to say what aloud. Even if Derek kinda knew a bit about his doing.

"What ? What happened ?"

Stiles closed his eyes and took a shaky breath. "You stayed a few days and... hunters had heard that a wolf had passed by... and... when they got to us-"

"You killed them ? Was it Monroe ?" Derek guessed right away and Stiles just nodded still avoiding his gaze.

"And then... I sent you back. We had agreed to meet every two months-"

"'We had agreed' ? Was I a wolf or human ?"

"Wolf. I hadn't actually seen your face till... the thing with the witch about a month ago, on the last full moon." Stiles knew that he had finally stepped on a landmine by bringing that subject up.

"Yeah about that, explain now."

"Not much to explain. You were, once again, missing... Theo called me, and just as I was trying to figure out what had happened to you... I felt that something was trying to... summon me and I tried to fight it but then I thought that maybe it had something to do with you so... I gave up and then I landed on the floor of a cave. And you were there, trapped in some roots the witch had created, and... well she was dead..." Stiles made a gesture of an explosion with his hands, making the mistake to look at Derek who looked very... very constipated ? "And then it took us days to go back to... our respective locations. And till today... well... yesterday now... I didn't know what it had been all about. And then two weeks after, I had to come back because of Thomas and... yeah."

"And I don't remember. But do you understand now why she... summoned you ?"

"I don't know, but she was after your energy and she needed consent so maybe she tried to pressure you by using our connection. She must have felt that your anchor was human and-"

"There isn't any connection between a wolf and his anchor."

"Of course there is ! I felt it !"

"You 'felt' it ? Do you feel it right now ?"

Derek was so sure of himself that Stiles was starting to doubt his reasoning.

"Do you feel any connection between us now, Stiles ? Because I certainly don't."

"No."

"You might be a great emissary, you might know a lot of things, but the only connections that we, born wolves, could have are the ones with our pack or our mate. And from what Theo, Alec and yourself told me you must be-"

"No," Stiles cut him immediately and looking back at his hands. "I see where you're going with your reasoning, and I guess that indeed it might look like it, from your point of view... but I'm not your mate. Mates don't fight all the time, you've always tried to scare me off, threatening me, making fun of me, belittling me-"

"If you're so sure about that then let me smell you and I'll see for myself. Because I guess that you weren't covering your scent before, when my wolf was visiting you, then it would make sense that there was indeed a connection."

"See, you don't even trust me ! You always need proof ! You always did and always will !" Stiles suddenly shouted getting up from his bed but sitting back instantly because of the pain, maybe he was bleeding again.

"And you ?"

Stiles almost turned around to look at the werewolf but judged better to keep his back to him. "What me ?"

"You don't trust me either. Plus, you're always arguing, yelling, lying, running away, hiding things and yourself. Don't you think I would know better about my kind ?"

"I trust you. And I never lied."

"Lying by omission is the same."

Derek was winning the battle, but it was still up to Stiles to let his guard down and give up, the older man would never be able to force him to anything.

"You don't want me to be your mate. If you remembered me we wouldn't even have this conversation. In fact, you would probably even be in an other country with Alec."

"Either let me remember or let me smell you."

" _Stop_ pressuring me like that. If I let you... I don't want to... Just stop. Why are you so rushed ? Can't we talk about it later ? I need to sleep, _you_ need to sleep."

"So you can leave during the night ? No."

Stiles pressed his fists, he really wanted to punch something or someone. He didn't want to hurt any more, not when he was already so vulnerable. He was angry, so frustrated by this insistance. The werewolf had never been so unnerving before.

"Fuck ! Derek !" Stiles yelled and falling back on his bed to stare at the ceiling, ignoring the pain. His dad was sound asleep anyway, he had made him drink a potion to relax, making him unable to wake up even through a tornado. "Why are you so stubborn suddenly ? What do you have against me that is so compelling ?"

"Because I have this."

From his peripheric vision Stiles saw that the man was showing him something so he turned his head and saw that he was just helding his right palm in front of him, like there was something on it. Stiles squinted his eyes and even turned them black to understand but there was still nothing. "What am I supposed to look at ? Because that's just a hand to me, and I already have myself two so-"

"I have a tattoo. I didn't burn it. I don't know when I did it but I noticed it months ago and you must know the reason why."

"I... _I_ must know the reason why ? Is it a rune ? You know it could be anything right ? Even the triskele between your shoulder blades is one ! Or maybe it's just a weird design that, if you look from the right angle appears to be a butterfly, a flower, or a dick !" Stiles mocked him while Derek ignored him and started to look for a pen on his desk. Stiles shut up to let the werewolf do what he was doing and settled back in his bed, sitting under the covers and trying to... just ready himself for whatever the man was about to show him.

"It's more like a... mispelled word" the guy said helding up again his open hand with an unsteady writing.

_**MIECZYSLAW** _

"Indeed. It is mispelled. There is no 'i', it should have been another 'y'." the young Stilinski said, staring at his own first name with a shocked disbelief written all over his face.

Derek frowned for a second but then relaxed a little. "I don't think I would have made a mistake like that."

He didn't answer back, it was a dumb joke anyway... but that was all he could do right now. He didn't fucking know why Derek would have tattooed his ugly name on his skin. When ? How ? Why ? Why this weird location ? Has it been his intention to let it unburned ? Or did he not had the time ? Was it something he had been ashamed of ?  The only way to see it would have been to look at the open hand with were's eyes. Was it a secret ? What was the meaning of this ?

"Sti-"

"How is it written ?"

"What ?"

"Is it like a handwriting or is it typewritten ?"

"It's my handwriting."

"Do you know how to tattoo ?"

"Of course not, plus I'm righthanded."

"Oh yeah... right. And it's ink ?"

"What else could it be ?"

"I don't know ! Mines are mixed with mountain ash !"

"It's ink."

"So... you wrote my name on a piece of paper and went to a tattoo artist and asked him to replicate exactly this... monstrosity in your hand."

Stiles had bend over his bed to see more clearly Derek's new tattoo, like he needed to, and by reaching his arm, he could have touch the werewolf. He could sense the warmth coming from his body, seductively trying to appeal him.

"So ?" Derek asked bringing him back from his confused brain.

"I don't know !" he said backing away and sitting back against his headboard. "How did you even noticed it by the way ? In what circumstances did you look at your hands with your wolfy eyes ? Did you check your whole body for any other weird things ?"

"Apart from the missing memories ? No. And it was during a full moon."

"When exactly ? What were you doing ?"

"Around a year. Alec and I got surrounded by goblins and... I cut my hand catching a sword that was about to decapitate Alec."

"Oh my god ! Goblins ? Never seen one ! Did they all have swords ? They are supposed to be so dumb that they privilege to attack in numbers. How many were they ? Were you just you-"

Stiles stopped asking questions at Derek's growing growl.

"I'm not here to tell you what happened while you were away. Stop eluding the real conversation. I've noticed the tattoo because when I shifted the sword to my left hand to let the right heal, I saw something black and I thought it was poison. But then it healed and it was a name."

"So... you realize you have a weird tattoo on yourself and you tell no one ? You're such an idiot. That's why you always get in trouble ! You hide things too ! You didn't want to assume you had problems with the full moon and let your wolf handle this, people were looking for you, worried about you, you could have ruined my cover when you showed up while I was working... Before that you came after Kate alone, telling no one, not even Alec, who was living with you, where you were going. And when I got kidnapped too, the rest of the pack was... I could go on and on and there would be no end ! But you get it right ? You don't share enough and even if you think that it only concerns you, it also a good opportunity to have an impact on all of us."

"So you're saying that I should have told Scott about my black-outs on every two full moons ?"

"YES !"

"Then what would have happened then ? You were the cause of it."

"Three persons in the pack already knew about that and if they didn't find a good lie they could have called me."

"And it would have result in telling lies like that Michael thing. How is that better ?"

"It was mostly the truth. You would have known you were in good hands, safe and not hurting people."

"Well, now you have to choose. Memories or scent."

"That's not gona happen tonight so... you can go. I don't care about the pants you can keep them." Stiles retorted getting back in bed and pulling the covers all the way up over his head.

"So that's it ? Even when I show you that I have your complicated first name written permanently in my hand you won't let me remember why I did that ? And what about me being an alpha ? How am I supposed to solve anything if you refuse to help me ?"

"You can add those facts on the 'why we definitely can't be mates' list. Good night, Derek." the emissary answered his voice muffled under the sheets.

"We're mates, Stiles." the werewolf said before leaving through the window.

 


	16. They had a plan...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remember chapter 7 ? I hope so ! 
> 
> A dead man representing Peter ?  
> Stiles figuring out who is the serial killer ?  
> A pack gathering to establish a plan but a missing Derek ?  
> Stiles being all emotional ?  
> And Chris coming to the rescue to find out where Kate was holding Derek captive ?
> 
> /!\BTW the chapter is really short. I'm not into long descriptions but I guess you had already noticed that x)  
> Here is how everything went even more messed up !

They had a plan, Chris had already three places in mind they could check that had Stiles' standards. They were going to divide in groups of three and four. Corey and Mason weren't used to get separated but Corey had volunteered to get in Scott's and Malia's group. Then there was Liam, Mason and Theo and the last one was Lydia, Chris, Alec and Stiles - the werewolf had insisted to be in Stiles' group saying that he felt more confident around the people he knew best like Stiles and since the human was still all over the place with Derek's disappearance no one asked for further explanations. They would go to the three emplacements at the same time and alarmed the others if they found anything and would stay still until everyone was gathered at the right location.

They were getting in the cars, the first group had borrowed Lydia's car, the second was in Theo's, and the third was about to jump in Chris' SUV - Alec was actually already in, hovering over the backseat of the car being way too distracted by the weaponery in it - when Stiles stopped and asked the others to wait. The two first cars were already driving off but the young man had suddenly got the idea that maybe Derek would have left some clues behind him in his bedroom, maybe in his internet researches on his laptop (if he had one of course) or notes on a piece of paper. The man had spent all his evening in his room according to Alec, maybe there was something.

Why hadn't he thought of that previously ?

"Wait. I have to check something in Derek's loft !" he exclaimed and before Lydia or Chris could stop him, he was gone.

Stiles arrived in the bedroom all breathless, he hadn't exactly got more athletic during his stay in Virginia even though he had definitely tried. The room was quite unexpected. As he had imagined to see a lonely bed (maybe just even a mattress) and a bag of clothes on the floor, to let the man ready to leave at any time. But no, there was a different bed from the one the werewolf had originally placed in his living room, sheets not black but a warm brown, but also bookshelves fixed on the walls, a chest of drawers, a nightstand on the right of the bed with a lamp on it and even a rug that was almost as big as the room.

The human took a deep breath, focusing back on his mission, and started to move again after a few seconds of astonishment. He searched through the bedside table, awkwardly founding a box with only two condoms left inside and tissues and quickly closed it again. He sat on the bed and tried to think like the werewolf, he stared at all the drawers and the shelves that were in front of him and chose to look under the bed between his feet. There was a shoe box and a laptop in its suitcase so he took both.

While the laptop was lighting up, he opened the box and saw notebooks and underneath them pouches with pictures inside. He selected the first notebook that was on the top of everything, hoping that he hadn't find something intimate, and scrolled through the pages to get to the last one. His eyes immediately fell on the last words that were written in caps.

_SOMEWHERE SECLUDED_

_OUT OF TOWN BUT STILL CLOSE_

_UNDERGROUND ? A CAVE ?_

_RIVER ? SANTA ANA_

The laptop was finally ready but Derek had set a password, Stiles tried the first things that came to his mind : Derek's mother, sisters, father's names and then Derek's birthday, the fire's date but nothing worked and even the clue the computer had given him was useless. What kind of joke was "MJCT" anyway ? Stiles knew a lot of things about the werewolf but that wasn't enough. He started to type a group text to the rest of the pack **"Santa ana river"** but didn't sent it and instead opened an internet page on his phone and wrote the same three words in the Ecosia's research bar. Thanks to the young Stilinski, a lot of trees were planted every day.

Like the knowledgeable human he was, he already knew that it was the largest river entirely within Southern California, but he needed to see if there was secluded places near it to held someone captive. The three locations Chris had picked were great but a den hidden near the Santa Ana River was such a nightmare, the running water could be able to muffle most noises, cover some tracks... plus it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. It was the most plausible choice finally.

He was about to shut the internet research and send the text but decided to hide his phone under one of Derek's pillows when he heard a soft noise coming from the adjacent room. He also closed the box and put it back under the bed and quickly looked at the laptop again like he was still trying to guess the password.

It happened so fast, it was all he could do before the werejaguar came in with a berserker tailing her.

"Aw, poor Stiles. The fragile human who runs with the wolves and still manages to stay alive. What is your secret ?"

"People love me. Even vilains, they all want to be my friends." he answered looking at her without faking surprise, not moving either from his position.

"Did you find something interesting on that laptop ?"

"Excepting the fact that I don't know Derek's password and can't guess it ? No."

"Ouch... Sucks to be you. You decided to find a clue on your own while the others waited outside, and not only it was vain but you lost enough time to run into me."

"Yeah... Karma is a bitch." he sighed looking dejected, but honestly ? He kinda wanted to be taken, maybe it would be a better way to release the werewolf.


	17. Not coming back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No worries this chapter follows the 16th !
> 
> Plus it is the first one where we're in Derek's POV when he still remembers Stiles :D  
> But it's a short chapter...
> 
>  
> 
> /!\ SPOILERS /!\ /!\ WARNING/!\  
> Someone's life ends in this chapter, sorry <3
> 
>  
> 
> <3

Derek had fallen asleep, he didn't know for how long but Peter's injuries looked mostly healed now. His uncle was attached in front of him, fixed to metallic grid with chains and wires, hunters seemed to like those kind of torture, they had been  _again_ electrocuted, tools had cut  _again_ their flesh and some kind of hook was even still stuck in Peter's thigh. But Kate wasn't just a hunter anymore, she was even chased herself.

And now she had come back with a new prey. He had heard footsteps and a voice, Stiles'. But it was happening in another room. Immediately the werewolf felt more anxious than... ever. What Kate was going to do with the human ? He had hoped that if there was going to be any more catches, that it wouldn't be _him._ He even had thought that Kate would have preferred to keep him for the end. But Stiles had probably been in her way, maybe he had figured the location like he always gets everything. The human was a threat in that way. But maybe she would still end with him ? Would she keep him and wait to have handled everyone else before doing anything to him ?

"What is that face Derek ? Why are you so worried now ?" Peter asked, his voice hoarse from all the screaming he had done for hours.

They hadn't really gotten the occasion to talk since being here, the older wolf had been taken and attached before him waiting for the show to begin, since then Kate had left just once and Derek had wasted that time sleeping.

"She came back with Stiles."

"I know. I heard it too... Smart boy, I liked him."

Derek glared at his uncle so annoyed with his arrogance and emotional detachment he would show even with his own daughter sometimes.

"What ? I'm joking, she won't kill him... yet. He has value to everyone in the pack, and mostly to you. The only time you will be allowed to worry about him is when she will bring him in that room."

"When she will be done with you." Derek added even if it wasn't necessary.

They stared at each other for a while. The nephew was trying to not show any feelings, to stay strong, but both knew that it was just to not let Kate get her satisfaction.

"I probably won't come back this time."

" _Probably_ ?"

They both laughed this time, shaking their heads at the idea. That's all they needed to convey how their relationship had been _hectic,_ and how it was all behind them now.

"Make sure that she doesn't either." the uncle said with begging in his tone and expression, getting more serious. "And look after... your cousin for me, please."

"Any other last wishes ?" Derek asked after a little pause, realizing only now that this conversation was probably their last.

"Take care of yourself... and your mate."

The wolf was surprised by that choice of words, Peter hadn't been present enough to be able to notice this kind of thing, at least that what he'd thought.

"Don't look at me like that. You blew your cover instantly when you heard him."

Derek sighed, looking at the chains around his wrists, ankles and the naked wire all around the bare skin of his upper body.

"How am I supposed to protect him like this ?" he mumbled defeated.

"You won't. He doesn't need your protection for the moment. In fact, right now he might even be working on something to get you out of here. This kid can't die, he will probably survive all of us. He prooved it many times that he was too smart for that, for us or even for the bite. Plus I totally approve your choice, the sarcasm, the energy, the loyalty-"

"You always call him flimsy."

"And you call him defenseless and skinny. He looks like it and I like to pick on it just as much as you. By the way... nice tattoo."

Derek closed his right hand on reflex and Peter's smile widened.

"Don't feel ashamed, it's cute. I couldn't really see it before, but I guessed what it was in no time. It's actually that that betrayed you, the despair on your face was just confirmation. But, when will you tell him ?"

"He's with Lydia. He doesn't see me like that."

"Then why did you tat-"

Peter interrupted himself hearing Kate's boots coming their way. So he looked at his nephew one last time and smiled in such a gentle way that the other wolf's expression broke. Derek was about to see his uncle die and it was going to hurt like hell.

"I hope you had the time to catch up a little because now it's time to say goodbye !" the werejaguar announced entering the room and taking no time to digress and ramble any more. She took out a long knife from her belt and cut Peter's throat with a ferocious grin on her face. Derek hold the eye contact with the dying wolf until the older man was no longer able to.


	18. Stop the overthinking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now we go back to the present, here's what comes after chapter 15 :)

Living alone and having close interactions with both human and supernatural criminals had forced Stiles to use tactics to defend himself and insure his own protection even when he was asleep. He had used mountain ash, spells and sometimes relied on trustworthy allies. But his best option had been so far the melatonin secretion. He was able to fill a room with it when he was sleeping, so the people who would be near him would instantly feel the need to sleep and fall unconscious. It had happened a few times when the warlock was travelling for his human job and international emissary one, so he knew what it looked like to have a sleeping intruder on the floor next to him, but the person in question here was Derek. Only his father was aware of his tricks, Stiles had warned him in case something like that would happened. He hadn't done it since coming back to Beacon Hills but after the werewolf's previous visit, he had thought that it would be a good idea, he had needed sleep and had been also fed up to argue with the man. So he had closed the window and casted the spell.

The werewolf was still near the said window - which had probably closed back when he had fallen to the floor, not having the time to block it after sliping inside the room - he was still only wearing Stiles' sweatpants. The noises should have waken the mostly-human Stilinski, but he must have been too tired to notice, or his magic must have felt that it wasn't a threat and had prevent him from waking up... Derek had moved in his sleep to get a more comfortable position, but he was still on the floor so it would be a lost cause. And now Stiles was awake, the spell only worked when he was asleep himself so Derek was about to wake anytime soon, as soon as the melatonin in the room would evaporate.

Something was bugging the younger man though. The werewolf was so sure about them being mates that he needed to make sure that it was either false or true. And even if he was sure of his own judgement, ignoring the fact that he would love to be Derek's mate, the werewolf had made some good points in their argument. Stiles knew a way, an indeniable one, to proove who was in the wrong. So he quickly get up from his bed, noticing that during his sleep he had fully healed from his injuries, he readjusted his long sleeves and pants of his pajamas, even wrapping himself with his bathrobe (that he had stolen from a motel where he had met up with Wolfy... but now wasn't the time remember this event), he then approached the sleeping werewolf, took a deep breath and caressed the man's neck, not really daring to press his fingers into the skin, but just a little brush was enough probably for what he was about to do, and just this touch warmed his whole body instantly. He was trembling, his ears and face were burning, but closing his eyes, he let the tip of his fingers run lightly on the triskelion between his shoulder blades then lower along the spine until he felt the waistband of the sweatpants. An electric wave travelled through his arm to his heart during the motion and the reaction made him fall on his ass, eyes wide open, with a little shriek of surprise. It hadn't been painful, in fact it had been really pleasant, his skin was covered in goosebumps and sweat.

The connection he had just ignite hadn't felt like the one he had already noticed between himself and the wolf, not that acutely. His breathing had been caught in his throat, making pant he had been running a marathon and now the werewolf was awake.

"What did you just do ?" Derek asked sitting up with a sleepy voice and his blue eyes and fangs out.

Stiles shook his head, unable to let out any words, too overwhelmed by this new revelation, his face was hot and his eyes wide. His beating heart was about to pop out of his chest and right now his mind was such a mess that even his vision started to get blurry. Was he even breathing ?

 _When ? When ? When ?_ Stiles was too shocked to even think about something else. He didn't know a thing about mates, excepting the thing he had just tried because he had already seen someone do that to calm their mate. He hadn't tried to look into that matter since he had been sure that he would never be concerned.

How mates would reveal themselves ?

Was it like falling in love or was it something more physiological ?

"Stiles ?" Derek's voice sounded like Stiles had gotten his head under water.

The werewolf was worried, his fangs had retracted but his eyes were still electric blue and the warlock was staring at them, breathing hard. "Stiles ? What happened ? Why are you panicking ? Calm down. I'm not angry and I'm not gonna do anything to you, I'm not going to harm you." the older man whispered with a voice getting softer and softer while he was getting more and more into Stiles' space until he was able to hug him. He did, like the warlock was something precious and fragile.

_Did I triggered it at the hospital ? I fucked up his mind ! I put my feelings in his head and he's been mistaking them as his !_

"Stiles, stop panicking. Breath, you have to-"

That's when the sheriff entered and interrupted them. "Stiles you told- What's wrong ?"

"I'm not sure." Derek shrugged still holding Stiles against his bare chest.

There was a few seconds of total silence only filled by Stiles' erratic breathing. And then Noah asked "Do you remember ?" the young Stilinski felt the werewolf shaking his head and his father seemed to have figured out the situation by the next words he said. "Okay, then I guess he's just overthinking about something... Stiles ? Listen to me son."

The older Stilinski kneeled and waited for the wolf to let go of his grip to force his son to look at him in the eyes. He took Stiles' head between his palms and started to inhale deeply as an indication for him to do the same and talked again. "I thought you would have already seen everything inside my head by now, but maube it was because you weren't looking for it at the time. Maybe also because you're afraid to dig too far and get to the dark places... But you will have to focus on my thoughts, my memories that I want to show you now son." He closed his eyes and Stiles who was now calmer thanks to his dad's soft and affectionate voice, did the same and went still almost automatically.

He was now in his dad's memories of scenes he had already witnessed since he was in them, but now looking from a different point of view.

For example that time when he had come back from his internship and Derek and Alec - who were inside the police station with Noah - had noticed Stiles' presence on the parking lot. The older werewolf's face had lighten up like a kid on christmas' day for one second that only the older Stilinski hadn't missed. And then that same expression came, a few minutes later, when Stiles was holding Alec with a choke hold on the same parking lot and threatening to give the puppy weird and detestable nicknames, asking Derek for his thoughts on the "Sourwolf" one. Derek had ignored him and even walked away in the sheriff's direction to help the man walk and then the only one who had been able to see the werewolf's loving smile had been Noah.

He then also saw how the werewolf would often ask about Stiles' doing in Virginia to his father, when he would come back sometimes or over the phone, trying to seem detached and failing through the Stilinski's talented observation.

And then many, oh so many, other hidden smiles the sheriff would catch when Derek was looking at Stiles over the _years._

"Stiles ?" the werewolf behind the warlock repeated himself for maybe the third time when the young man came back to the present.

Noah let go of his head and smiled to him. Tears had fallen on the warlock's cheeks and he wiped them and his nose with his sleeve. "How did I not see it ?" he mumbled his face lowered looking at the floor.

His father stood up again with a huff and patted his soft curls, getting him even more dishevelled. "He wasn't that great of an actor. But you were also, at the same time, avoiding him."

Stiles looked up and saw his father's cunning smile, his old man made an aborted move to leave the room but obviously change his mind to add "Let him remember and solve your problems now, you both need it and Derek can handle the memories you're so afraid of." and then he left for good to work.

The young man felt suddenly tired again, like he had been brain washed and the wolf behind him was standing still, waiting for the next move, word or anything the former human was about to address him.

"Sit." Stiles ordered in a whisper and Derek obeyed immediately, taking a place at the end of the bed with his eyebrows a little furrowed and wonder filling his eyes.

The warlock got up and while running his hands through his hair he paced in front of the bed for a few meditative seconds, before letting out a big sigh of surrender and facing the werewolf who was staring at his open palms laid on his thighs, _**MIEZCYSLAW**_ still written on the right one.

"You're... ready ?"

Derek lifted his head, to look at him with a frown. Stiles shook his head and kneeled before him. He then took the werewolf's head between his hands, trying to not lean closer to get more warmth nor to let his fingers play with the soft dark hair.

 _Maybe another time,_ he wished.

"Would you really have killed me ?" the man in front of him said suddenly in a whisper avoiding his eyes.

The young Stilinski felt immediately the urge the facepalm himself, how could Derek think they were mates while also asking this kind of questions ?

"I was buying time, I just needed a few more seconds to be able to really control one of them. After all I've done to keep you alive since we've met, even while I still thought you were a criminal... it would have been counterproductive. But I guess the only way for you to understand my thinking is to give you back your memories. So... look into my eyes." Stiles said calmly and softly with an amused smile.

Derek obeyed and in this position it looked like they were about to kiss. It was hard to stay focused and to not blush, even when the werewolf briefly glanced at his mouth.

"Focused on my voice, and my eyes, relax. Don't worry, you're going to black out as soon as the memories will come, okay ?"

Stiles waited for the wolf to give him a light nod and then, without thinking much longer he said the words " _Memento mei._ "

 

 

 


	19. Never let my dad know about this...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I tried to make effort on the descriptions, I'm so bad at this... sorry =_=
> 
> So this chapter is the continuation of... both 16 and 17  
> SPECIAL WARNING FOR THE SENSITIVE SOULS BECAUSE OF THE GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF VIOLENCE

Kate or maybe her berserker (he wasn't sure, but his head was throbbing when Stiles woke up) had knocked him down, and when he opened his eyes again he was tied with barbed wire and he immediately felt it as he tried to move. He was sitting on a metal chair, his wrists were attached to the armrests, his ankles to the legs, all four with rope but his naked torso was wrapped with the barbed wire and making him unable to breathe without feeling instantly the spikes going through his skin. He remembered vaguely walking inside the cave, saying something about how jaguars use scrape marks to mark their territory as he was analyzing how the den had probably been built with claws, fangs or anything the berserkers had been able to use, and had asked jockingly if she had used also her urine and feces, and then he had blacked out.

The room he was in was small, underground, that is to say no windows obviously, just a hole drilled in the earth if the marks on the walls were any good indication since he hadn't had the time to ask. The berserkers must have been really efficients workers and Stiles was wondering for how long Kate had worked on this project. Like how many other rooms were there ?

There wasn't any electricity though, everything was lighted with oil lamps. And no doors if the fact that his cell didn't have any could be considered as the norm, but he was unable to see through the entry, it was too dark. The air was filled with dirt and a faint nasty odor coming probably from the too old and unwashed lamps. For a human it was already disgusting and a little suffocating so the young Stilinski thought about how the enhanced senses of the people around him must have felt. They should have tried to ventilate it a little.

But Stiles hadn't woken up because of any of this, in fact it had been caused by Derek's howl. Something that had sounded like a low human voice at first but had ended into a resonating growl which got interrupted really quickly and he knew what had just happened in a room next to his.

Peter.

It could only be him, since they had already concluded that he was missing too. He sighed, his eyes and nose tickled and soon he was crying. The werewolf had been a fearful ennemy, he had transformed his best friend into an uncontrollable creature which had almost killed him a few times. He had attacked Lydia during the Winter Formal and used her for his resurrection. He had killed lots of people and even Derek's older sister, _his own niece_. He had tried to kill Scott many times... Always arrogant, manipulative and looking for weaknesses. He had even paired himself with _Kate_ at one point !

But now, it wasn't relief, it was a real sadness for a man who had helped them with the kanima, the alpha pack, Cora's mistletoe poisoning, the nogitsune, the wild hunt, the anuk-ite... He had softened, he had gotten under their skin like the weirdest uncle he was.

"Oh my god... you're crying too ? For that monster ? Didn't he try to kill all of you on multiple occasions ?" the werejaguar exclaimed coming into his room with her hands on her hips, a disapproving pout on her mouth. "He was a freaking zombie. You killed him remember ?"

"Vividly. Right after he had killed you." Stiles retorted shaking his head to clear his mind and immediately regretting it because any move teared his skin, even talking was painful but he wouldn't be able to stop, he had to drag on their conversation making her take her time while his pack was looking for them.

"Oh. I'm not the same. I looked dead but I was turning... into this." she gestured to herself with disgust.

"You're enjoying it. Having so much powers. Otherwise you would have killed yourself like a real hunter, like Victoria. You are just like your father. Thinking he was above the rules, that he deserved everything. Talking about abomination and monsters while trying to get himself bitten. Like it would be legitimate for him to get supernatural abilities, while the others had to stay human. Like father-"

"Shut! Up ! Everyone must be tired of hearing your voice. Do you want me to kill you faster than I had already planned ?"

"Because you have a plan ? Killing people to get our attention, but actually choosing your victims based on facts that no one would care to look at, taking us weeks to understand the message. That was a plan ? I know revenge is a dish best served cold but it was such a waste of time and energy. You should have come directly at each one of us, captured and locked us up somewhere and then kill us one after another in front of Derek. Or maybe even trap all of us in a fire and let him watch, that's more you specialty, right ? And by the way, what are your berserkers meant for ?"

Kate let out a little sneer and with a twisted smile on her mouth reduced the distance between them to slap him hard with her claws out. "Such a brilliant kid. Do you realize that it's because of you that Derek is here right now ? That it was thanks to your deducing talent that he fell into my trap ? It all depended on you. Actually, I was the one behind those unsteady stairs. I had heard that you were coming back in Beacon Hills but I wanted to accelerate the process. I planned your dad's injury and you even got there quicker that I had expected, wanting to surprise everyone, you hadn't even let the time to someone to fill you up on the bad news. In fact, if you hadn't lied about the date of your arrival, your dad wouldn't have gone through that useless pain."

Stiles' vision had gotten blurry and his ears were ringing more and more. He could feel the blood on his cheek running on his irritated skin. But he could still hear the annoyance in Kate's voice. She was pissed to listen to the human's better way of thinking, to be proved not effective enough. She felt insulted.

"And yet, you still have a long way to go before getting everyone and now they are all aware of who they are after and they are gathered and ready to fight. By the way, how did you manage to get Peter ? Did he also came to you ? Did you also get lucky ?"

Of course he got hit again, with a fist this time and it made him scream against his will to avoid fainting. His torso might have been an open wound by now, the spikes weren't only scratching the skin anymore, they were attacking the flesh and muscles underneath them, and it was hard to stop his head from falling and taking a glance at the damages. If he ever got out alive from this, it would left him with a lot more scars then he already had from the few years he had passed with his supernatural friends.

"Is... is that... how you're... gonna torture me ?"

"Oh no. I'm going to let you with one of my berserkers and enjoy the screaming while observing Derek's reactions in the other room. You're about to see what they are meant for, just as you asked."

"Why ? I thought you would rather do it yourself. And why not put us in the same place ? Just sounds and no images ? It's like radio against TV."

"It's not your turn yet. I have another guest on the way."

"Oh really ?"

The werejaguar smiled viciously and left him in the room with a Berserker who (or which ?) had just entered, ready to make him beg for help. The monster didn't need any weapons to cause damages. In fact, Stiles was even wondering why the monster was even here, the human was already in pain and bleeding out....

Underneath the animal's skull the man was emotionless. Of course there wasn't that much to see, but Stiles tried to figure out the face behind that nightmarish appearance anyway. He had never really had the occasion to be so close to one of them before and it was fascinating. And now he was getting slowly slashed on the arms, stomach and even legs with something that looked like a sabre-toothed tiger's canine that was attached to berserker's right wrist. And it must have been sharpened because the skin and jeans were breaking even with the slightest pressures. Stiles remembered that same thing killing Derek, hitting him over and over again, the werewolf coughing blood and telling him to go while he was obviously dying.

 _"... we'll be right behind you..."_  the man had said with blood on his lips...

He tried to focus back on his torturer's face, on every detail that could have explained how the monstrosity was controlled. Who was the person inside ? Scott hadn't been able to describe how it had worked on him, he couldn't remember. But, even if his eyes were glued to those of his opponent, the pain was too great to even think.

He screamed until he got so dizzy from the lack of oxygen and the intensity of his suffering that he blacked out again. He had last less than maybe three minutes and his last stream of consciousness had been to think that Kate couldn't have possibly been satisfied with that mediocrity of a torture.

 

When he woke up again, he was lying on a table made of stone in a different room, in fact it must even have been a big rock he couldn't tell. He was tied like a masochist in a bondage practice, to that hard surface, thankfully still clothed with his ripped jeans but couldn't really feel his extremities. He still wasn't gagged but since Kate wanted him to yell, it was completely normal. Yet there was still no signs of the werewolf near him. He tried to look at every angle to memorize and evaluate his new location, and even himself to take note of the mess he was. His vision was blurry, but he was thankfull to not be able to see clearly his injuries, he was covered in blood, both dry and wet, his whole body was a wound like he had feared but not covered in barbed wire anymore. Maybe the werejaguar had realized that the human wouldn't last long if she had go on with the bleeding.

As for his surroundings the only thing he could notice was that he was still underground.

And then the silence had been again replaced by Derek's growling but now Cora's voice too. She was being tortured but not screaming unintelligible words like the human, she was insulting the psychotic bitch who was laughing.

"Okay, I'll let them play a little with both of you and check the little human. I hope he's still alive." he heard the kidnapper declare, her voice getting closer.

Looking at the entry was too tiresome, and made the rope press on his raw flesh so he tried to relax and stare at the ceiling, his eyes burning because of the dirt stuck in them.

"You look pale. Maybe water would be good for you." Kate said and suddenly Stiles got splattered with cold water and a metal bucket fell on the ground right after.

"Fuck !" the young man hissed and coughed because some of it had come into his nose and mouth. "Kill me already. We both know that you won't support me very long. I'm the most annoying of the pack. Actually you might even give everyone relief."

He heard Cora screaming, this time just a pain shout, and he tried to ignore it, to not let his face wince while his imagination went wild on what was happening to her.

He wasn't giving up, but he wasn't really sure if he actually didn't mean his words either. He was too tired, everything was too painful and being alone, attached, injured and now cold with a crazy bitch staring down at him was definitely getting the best out of him.

"Really ? You want to die ? We just began the foreplay and you're quitting ?"

The blond woman came into Stiles' vision with still a little smirk and seemed to really contemplate the idea. "But I still have Cora in the other room."

That sentence made him realize that he needed to hear Cora's voice, even if it meant her crying out her pain. It would be a proof of her living, breathing and as Kate was with him, it also prevented the bitch from killing Derek's sister.

"Why did you move me to this one anyway ?"

"Always asking questions... Because you needed to lie down or you would died too soon. You were bleeding out too fast, I'm sure you already know about blood circulation and everything."

"Seriously ? I'm pretty sure my blood is already anywhere but inside my body now."

"Yeah..." she sighed, taking an other look to his whole body with her brows lifted, and then pensive she started to run her claws along Stiles' throat and stopping on his chest like she was about to dig for his heart making him shiver with fear and pain.

Cora was shouting again, Stiles could even hear her or Derek struggle against their chains, so when Kate talked to him again, she leaned over his ear and asked "Have you heard about Derek's first love ?"

The young man's body immediately stopped shivering for a second and she just continued without asking for an answer. "I didn't know her, but he told me how it had broke him _The Bite_ doesn't always give... poor boy..."

"Where are you going with this ? Do you want to annoy me to death now ?"

Her claws began to press into his already wounded flesh to shut him up. And as she was about to speak, they heard Cora again, so she made a low growl to probably make the torture stop in the other room. Or he hoped so, he tried to focus on his hearing to catch any reactions from Derek and nothing came.

"I'm wondering what the bite could do to you. Even as weak as you are right now, maybe you could transform into something you would never dare to think about becoming. Do you want to make that bet ? Either way you'll win."

"And what ? If it takes I'll become your beta ?"

"Oh no... I will still kill you. It's just to satisfy my curiosity. You know how it works."

"Do I really have a ch-" he tried to ask but was interrupted by Kate's fangs on his arm and screamed.

"And now, it's done. If you die, I'll make Derek see it and if you turn we will be able to rule out a big question."

She was about to turn around and leave but Stiles started to whisper unstoppable and confusing words. "I'll kill every one of them... Doesn't matter how long it will take I will kill them he will suffer maybe I'll even keep him, find new ways to torture him. That son of a bitch that monster Derek Hale. I'm an Argent, a hunter, I'll kill every fucking supernatural beings they will fear me I won't let my family name fall into oblivion. I'll be the greatest hunter, the ultimate killer, my berserkers with me. In fact I don't need to kill him, I'll make him into one of them he will be my pet."

"Shut the fuck up ! What is wrong with you ?" Kate yelled after a few moments of pure shock.

But Stiles wasn't listening to what was coming out of her mouth.

"Why are they after me ? It's not because an insane werewolf turned me into this thing that I can't be a hunter anymore. Dad and Chris want me dead now. My own family. Gerard, that son of a bitch, he tried to become one of them and now-"

"What are you doing ?" the werejaguar exclaimed getting one hand over Stiles' throat and squeezing to prevent him from talking anymore.

He was still moving his lips, his eyes opened widely as he was lacking air, they were black, completely, inhuman. And even though he couldn't produce any more sounds, she could still hear his voice. Inside her head.

_They treated me like a disgrace, every hunter that will come my way will die, their family too, I'll make them watch. I'll be the scariest monster they'll ever see, I already killed my own father, nothing and no one will be able to stop me."_

"You can read my thoughts. But those are from weeks, months or years ago. What kind of creature have you beco-"

She was interrupted by the sound of a broken door and everything escalated. The young man was losing consciousness from the strangling and then for one second, the grip loosened a little and while he began to catch his breath, Kate hit him really hard on the Adam's apple and he was again unable to breath.

He had lost too much blood anyway, he was doomed. Every inch of his body was hurting. He hadn't been able to think for a moment, but he still knew what was happening around him. His eyes were just a little open and Scott who was now near him could not see their color. He could hear his thoughts though. And Stiles was able to see that they had arrived before Cora could be killed.

"Stiles ?" It was Scott's voice. "Can you hear me ?"

"He's dying, he can't breathe !"

 _Derek._ Stiles thought to himself. Tears were falling into his ears, and blood was coming out of his mouth with a disgusting sound.

It felt like an eternity and then Scott, who hadn't seen Kate's bite while detaching his best friend since the human was covered in blood and was a big wound, he bit himself Stiles' arm almost on the same spot.

"NO !" Stiles heard Derek shout before loosing consciousness.

 

 


	20. Crushed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay... so... IT TOOK ME SO DAMN LOOONG TO FINISH THIS CHAPTER EVEN THOUGH I ALREADY KNEW HOW IT WAS *cough* ENDING. SERIOUSLY, the words hate me, they didn't want to show their letters to me arggh !!
> 
>  
> 
> Well, this is what comes after... chapter 18 ? I think -_- yeah I think that's accurate and I don't want to bother checking it ^^  
> A few chapters are left, we are reaching the end but there will probably be extra ones on the side :p
> 
> Enjoy ! or not... do whatever you want...  
> I'm tired.  
> I hate summer...

He had done it. He had said the words. Two Latin words. Latin, so cliché. Magic users employed multiple ancient languages. It was a weird thing that they did not tried to make any updates and adapt to the modern society. But a warlock (Jason in fact) had explained to him that it was a way to respect their ancestors and as a bonus made the spells look more mysterious than they were. The strongest advantage about magic was its secrecy. People feared it because they didn't know anything about it. Of course it was dangerous but it wasn't that complicated, you didn't need to have magic abilities to use it. For example Stiles had only needed to ask Derek to remember him to make the werewolf regain all his memories. Well it wasn't all, it had to be Stiles since he was the one who had been erased or Deaton who had casted the spell, but also there had to be intent in the words and a willing and relaxed subject, but he hadn't needed powers or potions or anything else.

Well, there was no proof yet that it had succeeded, the werewolf was unconscious - that's why the warlock had asked him previously to sit on the bed - but it was working.

And soon Derek would wake up and probably run away.

And Stiles was a mess.

He didn't know what to do anymore so he wrote while he was sitting on his bed next to his sleeping... mate ?

 

_Derek will soon wake up with all his memories of me back. I want to leave. But I also want to speak to him. Dad showed me that he must have loved me for a while. When I was still human. And I may not only be his anchor but also his mate. But I'm not sure how it works, normally to be a mate you have to be bitten. In fact both parties have to bite one another... so maybe I'm just a potential mate ? I don't know._

_Also HE TATTOOED MY NAME ON HIS FUCKING RIGHT HAND. MY FIRST NAME WITH ALL THE LETTERS !_

_But I don't know why or when yet, or how he knew it. Maybe that's a mate thing ? I'm really not sure about that._

_However, I don't know if all of the above matters anymore. A lot happened between the hidden smiles Derek had because of me that my dad saw many times and our argument last night. I'm not the same, I'm not even human, I'm dangerous, I've done a lot of things I shall never mention to anyone and Derek has gone through a lot because of me. I made his life darker. Getting his memories back he won't only remember the good times I spent with his wolf, he will remember everything else._

_-  When he was dying from the wolfsbane bullet in his arm._

_\- When he was paralyzed in a pool for hours and his only support was a fragile human._

_\- When he was dying at the church and we had to leave him behind (his memories should have been blurred because of my presence and how he had focused all his energy to tell me to go save Scott, but now he will remember vividly)._

_\- The nogitsune. (really don't need to write more about that)  
_

_\- My screams and the state Kate left me in when I died. (and if I was already his mate, potential mate or whatever it must have been awful)  
_

_\- The hospital and himself practically dying again._

_\- The feeling of being completely lost because his mate wasn't even aware of what he actually was._

_\- The last time we encountered Monroe and what I did._

_\- When he got kidnapped and tortured by a witch._

_He will also remember all the frustration and anger I caused him. In fact, his first instinct when he will wake up will probably be to attack me. So why am I still sitting so close to him ? Do I have suicide issues ?_

_OMG ! HE'S WAKING UP !_

 

Stiles put his book and pen inside the drawer of his bedside table and locked it with a spell and looked at the awakening werewolf. His heartbeat began to make a fuss and he muted it.

The man sat up without a word or a glance in his direction and rubbed his hands against his face like he was trying to brush away a headache. Looking at the tattoo on Derek's back made Stiles blush involuntarily. That was it, the real, the entire, the knowing-everything-about-Stiles Derek Hale was now half naked on his bed, his back on him, completely vulnerable and it was a weird feeling, however he didn't dare to say anything. The man was probably processing the informations.

But the silence was heavy. A mute Derek could mean anything and in this situation it didn't seem to be a good sign. And without being able to see his face Stiles' insecurity was getting at its peak. For all he knew, he didn't know anything about the man he was in love with. There had been so much revelations since he had awaken at the hospital that he was now doubting everything. Derek had never showed his true character, he had hide so much things over the years that it must have become a habit to realize that he still had secrets. But the warlock had mistakenly thought that he had eventually succeeded to break through all the mystery of Derek Hale (well excepting his laptop's password...).

Suddenly his mood got darker, feeling the tears coming to his eyes, overwhelmed by emotions, it was like the air was filled with them and with every breath, he was loosing all his frail composure, so he decided to leave. He used a spell to dissimulate himself completely, took his phone on the bedside table and ran away before the werewolf could understand what he was doing.

He did not take his car. He just ran, barefoot, with a spell of invisibility around him, he crossed people on the street and then when he saw the beginning of a forest, he ran faster to get out of the way and isolate himself. He was out of breath, his cardio was still mediocre even though he had trained during the last year.

Stiles sat on the ground and exhaled, he wasn't crying anymore, his head was clearer now that he was away from Derek. He lied down on the dead leaves making sure that there was no rocks that could hurt him and stared at the sky. He chose to remain invisible and imperceptible to the eyes, ears and nose. It was peaceful the turmoil had been left on the way. He wasn't really far away from his house but his spell would prevent anyone from finding him.

Though, he still had his phone, it was a reflex and also a need as being an emissary and an FBI consultant, he had the duty to be available to answer if someone needed help or just to check if he was still alive. He had informed his office of his moving back to California and they had asked him if he would still come if they really were stuck on a case, of course he had accepted. They had even proposed to mute him to Los Angeles, and he had considered it, was still thinking about it. 

He had come back home since just a few days and it felt like he had never left it in the first place.

Stiles sighed, of course he was exaggerating, but he had the impression that his stay in Phoenix was now months ago. Beacon Hills was... a lot to handle. He had almost died just the day before, they had been tortured again, he had killed three people... He could still sense yesterday's events in the air. He wished he could forget a few traumas, a few things at least about everything he had witnessed or done. His dreams or more precisely his nightmares would become less morbid or detailed. Everything was graved inside his brain, fresh as if it had happened the day before. Since he had become a warlock, his thoughts were filled with what-ifs.

What if he had trusted Derek since day one ? What if he had helped Derek with his new betas ? What if he had connected the dots sooner ? What if he hadn't wandered in the woods with Scott to seek a dead body ? What if he had known what he really was ? What if his mom hadn't gotten sick ?

 _"My mother was a witch and maybe you will be one too."_ She had said one day at the hospital on one of their last encounter, his dad had left to get some snacks from the vending machines and she had suddenly jolted from her bed and said that sentence with wide eyes and the little Stiles had thought that she was again raving. She had grabbed him by the shoulders and asked him to be careful and then she had started to cry softly _"_ _Mojej miłości do ciebie nie da się wyrazić słowami. Mieczyslaw. My pretty boy."  
_

 Remembering that now, Stiles knew that Claudia must have realized that she was dying and needed to warn him before it was too late and instead of lamenting about her short life, she had tried to make sure that her son knew what was coming.

Her mother was brave and even if sometimes she had tried to kill him or hadn't recognised him or both, he was glad to not being able to forget any of his memories with her.

It was hard to stay in the present, when his mind always wandered on absolutely anything and everything but his phone, which was still in his hand, buzzed three times indicating that someone had texted him. It was from Alec and before Stiles could finish his answer, he already had received six texts.

 **Scereksson : "Derek is not home. Do you know where he is ? //** **He forgot his phone // His car is parked // Maybe he wolfed out // I think he was upset // He talked to Theo yesterday"**

**Stiles : "He is okay. He's at my house. He's remembering. Do not panic, he will come back soon."**

**Scereksson : "Okay thanks."**

Staring at Alec's nickname, Stiles smiled. The werewolf was really a mix of the two men, a young Scott physically and Derek mentally. He had never had the time to joke about it. He sighed and put his phone in the pocket of his bathrobe. He didn't want to overthink but it was the way his mind worked.

What Derek was thinking about right now ?

What did he want to do ?

How did he feel ?

Now that his memories were back, his wolf would soon heal. And even faster if he had his mate by his side... The young Stilinski had said to Thomas that Derek needed him to get his alpha status back but he didn't know at the time how true he was. He had only thought about giving his memory its missing pieces and give a little push with his powers to heal the wolf but now he just needed to get along with the man as a mate, satisfy the wolf to bring back his red eyes. In fact it was better that way... he wouldn't have to use his magic.

However it was based on the condition they would have a good relationship. And even as friends they had proved how easy it was to fight. Being in love and being mates wasn't actually the same, you couldn't have the second without the first one, but the first one was independent from the other. Stiles knew that much. But he couldn't understand how at some point they had connected enough to be now potential mates. Being anchors of one another had been more understandable, they had saved each other's lives many times, they trusted each other, but being mates seemed surreal. Did Derek know ? If he did then why had he acted like he did towards Stiles ?

He started to focus on the last times they had seen each other before the "Kate's incident", thinking about it again made him realize that the werewolf had been more inclined to let the former human talk and give orders... Indeed every time Stiles had had an intuition, or told him to do something, the man hadn't argued. He wished he had seen the hidden smiles and maybe other things that his father hadn't seen, he wished he hadn't been so oblivious.

Still lying on the ground the warlock suddenly felt that he wasn't alone anymore and sat up to look around him. Derek was here, staring at him like he had been able to see him and he was walking in his direction, still dressed with the sweatpants but now with also a T-shirt and sneakers of Stiles. Four different colors, orange and blue for the top ( _"not really his color"_ like had said Danny years ago, or even his size and yes Stiles still owned that shirt, even though it was now a little too tight for his shoulders too), light grey for the bottom and dark red for the shoes, and still ridiculously handsome. When he arrived to Stiles' position he crouched and looked at Stiles' eyes with his eyebrows a little raised and his wolf's blue eyes in order to prove that he could indeed see him through the spell.

The young Stilinski frowned, it shouldn't have been possible, then he let the charm break, also willing his scent to be noticed again making him feel completely naked and the werewolf's hazel eyes came back. They stared at each other, the warlock could sense that Derek had cried too. Maybe that was what the man was doing when he was rubbing his hands against his face. Maybe that was why he had felt suddenly overwhelmed... were they connected enough to feel the other's emotions and presence ? How was it even possible ?

Derek was crouched just before him between his open legs, he reached out his right hand to caress Stiles' darkening cheek with a soft smile. Stiles' eyes flickered and then closed at the contact, warmth travelling his body and making him shudder. Why was the werewolf the only heat he could feel ? And when he opened them again Derek was gazing at him so intensely that he started to shy away from the older man. Derek started to open his mouth, about to say something, but then changed his mind and caught Stiles' bathrobe with both hands to pull him into a tight hug that made the warlock gasp for air. It took Stiles a few seconds to process what was happening before he returned the embrace.

He had been shamelessly affectionate with Derek's wolf each time they had met, but now it felt completely different, more intimate, more meaningful, maybe even warmer. Tears started to prickle his nose again, he felt relieved just by not being ignored but now he was hugged. They had never hugged this way before, and Derek was good at it. The older man inhaled deeply in Stiles' hair, loosening his grip around his shoulders and let out a satisfied sigh. The warlock was now able to breath again and when Derek's beard brush his temple and then lips were pressed on his cheek, his heartbeat who had been surprisingly quiet for a few seconds quickened.

The werewolf's face was so close, he had cupped Stiles' with both hands and was just staring like he was trying to memorize its every changes. And maybe he was, but the young Stilinski didn't know where to look, he knew his face was bright red, he knew he had to at least say something but right now, his mind was completely blank.

"Stiles, look at me." Derek asked softly, his voice was low, full of emotions and so different than Stiles could remember.

He looked up and met the man's beautiful eyes and it was like a lightning had travelled instantly his whole body. He threw himself against Derek lifting his butt and pressing his bare feet in the ground, he wrapped the werewolf's neck in his arms and pressed their lips together. It was just a chast kiss at first, they both pulled away a little to stare in each other's eyes again and immediately after, Derek shifted his position to sit Stiles on his thighs and crush their faces again. Their hearts beating wildly. Their kisses getting sloppier, Derek's hand gripping Stiles hips to keep him close. Stiles' whole body was trembling, his hands in the wolf's hair, everything was warm and soft, even Derek's tongue in his mouth, he needed to breath but his desire was stopping him from doing so.

At some point, Derek had succeed in getting under Stiles' clothes and slipped a hand under his shirt and that's when the warlock had to break the kiss and tried to push the werewolf away to get up.

"Stop. Stop." he whispered in a cry gripping at Derek's forearms with both hands.

"I don't care." Derek mumbled with a hoarse voice and started to press kisses along Stiles' throat sending a few more painful strides.

"I said stop !" Stiles yelled this time and using all his strength to force the man to let go of him. "Damn it Derek..."

"It doesn't hurt that mu-"

"I know how painful it is since it's like I'm being burned myself ! Seriously.... are you sick ? What's wrong with you ?" Stiles was no longer excited nor happy but angry and worried  about the man before him who had just been quietly hurting himself while touching Stiles' tattoos like it had been nothing. Even though the warlock hadn't been affected by it, he had felt it like it had been his own pain.

"I missed you." the werewolf whispered still seated on the ground and staring at his now empty red palms on his thighs.

His ears were red too from embarrassment or excitement Stiles couldn't decipher at the moment but all his hard feelings vanished instantly as he was getting up. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay. No one had told you anyway." Derek gazed up with a shy and apologetic smile.

The expression on his face with so genuine, intimate and unusual that Stiles started to gesticulate and clear his throat like an awkward sixteen-year-old Stilinski, staring at his feet then at the trees around them, squinting his eyes like he was thinking about something even though all he could think about was Derek's mouth, Derek's tongue, Derek's saliva still on his lips, Derek's everything...

"Hmm. Well, your beta is waiting so... you should go. I'll see you later." he then said turning away and feeling twigs crack and cut the skin under his feet and wincing.

"He is not my beta."

"He will."

"I don't want to be an alpha."

Now Stiles was wincing for a complete different reason. He glanced back at Derek who was standing up with a serious look on his features and Stiles lifted his eyebrows. "What ?"

"I don't want to be an alpha."

"But you are. You ripped Peter's throat remember ?"

Derek frowned and sighed. It was time to fight _again_.

"Why ? Why Derek ? You're afraid of... what ?" Stiles knew that he should try to convince the man and not assault him, but he was taking it personnally, if Derek didn't want to take his alpha status back, then it meant that they couldn't be together. Unless Stiles found another solution to deprieve the werewolf of his red eyes... He felt rejected. "You don't have to bite anyone, you know right ? You're already in a pack, and the pack will grow bigger when we will take more people in it."

"I don't want to be-"

"STOP ! Stop saying that ! If you so desperately don't want to be that powerful then... leave. We can't be around each other so leave the pack, leave Beacon Hills and you will get some more time before your wolf heal completely." Stiles felt that his throat was getting tighter, staring at the unmoving wolf in front of him was so frustrating. " _I_ can even break you and not see you again so maybe you will not even heal at all... You know what ? I'll give you... a week and then if you don't change your mind I'll make sure that you won't be able to fully complete your wolf's identity."

He started to walk away toward his house and sensing that the wolf was about to follow him he yelled "Don't even think about going the same way ! I don't want to see you !"

Once home, he crumbled.

Would it be always like this ? One second happy and excited, and then the other feeling completely crushed and sad ?

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEAAAAH the angst is still sooo present. But don't worry I think I'm done... or almost ;)
> 
>  
> 
> So I don't talk any word of Polish but "Mojej miłości do ciebie nie da się wyrazić słowami." is supposed to mean "Words can't describe my love for you." and I thought that it could have been the way Stiles' mother talked to him sometimes to express how important he was for her even though at some point she was loosing her mind and it must have been (in this story obviously) the first words he learned in Polish before insults and curse words ^^


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